scholarly journals Interaction between insulin-storage granules and F-actin in vitro

1979 ◽  
Vol 178 (2) ◽  
pp. 367-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
S L Howell ◽  
M Tyhurst

Possible interactions between polymerized (F-) actin and insulin-storage granules from rat islets of Langerhans were examined in vitro by comparing the sedimentation of the granules in the presence of various actin concentrations. Actin in the concentration range 0.1–0.5 mg/ml produced a retardation in granule-sedimentation rates consistent with binding of the granules to the actin filaments. The interaction was increased by addition of ATP (2mM), but was decreased by CaCl2 (0.1 mM). Binding of granules to actin was unaffected by cyclic AMP or by preincubation of the granules with phospholipase C. Specificity of the interaction was confirmed by the use of depolymerized (G-) actin and of myosin to provide a solution of comparable viscosity; neither of these caused any alteration of granule sedimentation. Possible implications of this interaction of insulin-storage granules with actin for the mechanism of insulin secretion are briefly discussed.

1982 ◽  
Vol 206 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
S L Howell ◽  
M Tyhurst

Interactions between actomyosin and insulin storage granules isolated from rat islets of Langerhans have been examined in a simple system in vitro, which allows comparison of the sedimentation of the granules in the presence of absence of actomyosin in various conditions. Actomyosin altered granule-sedimentation rates in a manner consistent with the binding of the granules of actomyosin filaments. This interaction was enhanced by addition of ATP (1.5 mM) but unaltered by addition of CaCl2, by calmodulin or by calmodulin in the presence of 10 microM-CaCl2. Addition of EGTA (0.1 mM), cyclic AMP (10 microM) of cytochalasin B (10 microgram/ml) were also without effects in these conditions. Pre-incubation of granules with phospholipase c did not affect granule-actomyosin interaction. Ultrastructural studies showed close contacts between the membranes of the granules and actomyosin filaments. The results indicate the possibility that actomyosin might provide the motile force for granule translocation during the insulin secretory process.


1975 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-409
Author(s):  
S.L. Howell ◽  
W. Montague ◽  
M. Tyhurst

Calcium concentrations of various pancreatic B cell organelles have been determined by X-ray microanalysis of areas of frozen sections of unfixed rat islets of Langerhans. Highest concentrations were detected in storage granules and in mitochondria, although calcium was also present in nuclei, in areas of endoplasmic reticulum and of cytoplasm. Accumulation of 45Ca by isolated organelles has been studied in homogenates and isolated subcellular fractions of rat islets of Langerhans. In the presence of a permeant anion (oxalate or phosphate), accumulation of 45Ca into mitochondria and microsomes was strongly stimulated by ATP. This net uptake was diminished during incubation of homogenates or of a mitochondria plus storage granule-rich fraction in the presence of cyclic AMP, dibutyryl cyclic GMP; 2:4-dinitrophenol or of ruthenium red. Investigations of the characteristics of 45Ca accumulation by homogenates prepared from storage granule-depleted islets showed no differences from those of normal islets, suggesting that the granules do not represent an important labile pool of calcium. With the exception of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP none of the insulin secretagogues tested (glucose, leucine, arginine, adrenalin, noradrenalin, theophylline, glibenclamide) altered calcium accumulation by islet homogenates. On the basis of absolute calcium levels and of 45Ca uptake studies it is concluded that islet B cells contain a readily exchangeable mitochondrial calcium pool, and an endoplasmic reticulum pool containing a lower concentration of calcium which is also readily exchangeable. The storage granules, despite their high calcium content, do not appear to constitute a labile pool. It seems likely that the labile mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum pools play a predominant role in the regulation of cytoplasmic free calcium levels, which may in turn be important in the regulation of rates of insulin secretion.


1986 ◽  
Vol 237 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
D E Harrison ◽  
M Poje ◽  
B Rocic ◽  
S J H Ashcroft

Dehydrouramil hydrate hydrochloride (DHU), a stable analogue of alloxan, inhibited the phosphorylation of an endogenous protein of Mr 53,000 catalysed by a Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase in extracts of islets of Langerhans. The concentration of DHU required for 50% inhibition was 0.09 mM. DHU did not inhibit islet cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and caused only slight inhibition of Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase. Inhibition of Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase was neither prevented nor reversed by dithiothreitol. DHU did not affect the ability of calmodulin to activate cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. In intact islets, pre-exposure to DHU impaired the insulin-secretory response to glucose and blocked the potentiatory effect on insulin secretion of forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, and of tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA), an activator of Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase. The increase in islet cyclic AMP elicited by forskolin was not affected by DHU. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that protein phosphorylation catalysed by a Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase may play a central role in the regulation of insulin secretion.


1988 ◽  
Vol 254 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
P M Jones ◽  
D M W Salmon ◽  
S L Howell

The incorporation of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP into intracellular proteins was studied in electrically permeabilized rat islets of Langerhans. Ca2+ (10 microM), cyclic AMP (100 microM) and a protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester, phorbol 13-myristate 12-acetate (PMA; 100 nM) produced marked changes in the phosphorylation state of a number of proteins in permeabilized islets after incubation for 1 min at 37 degrees C. Ca2+ modified the effects of cyclic AMP and PMA on protein phosphorylation. Noradrenaline (10 microM) had no detectable effects on Ca2+-dependent protein phosphorylation, but significantly inhibited Ca2+-induced insulin secretion from electrically permeabilized islets. These results suggest that electrically permeabilized islets offer a useful model in which to study rapid events in protein phosphorylation as a mechanism of stimulus-secretion coupling. If the rapid Ca2+-induced effects on protein phosphorylation are involved in the control of insulin secretion, the results of this study also imply that part of the catecholamine inhibition of insulin secretion occurs at a stage in the secretory pathway beyond the activation of the regulated protein kinases.


1984 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 665-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noel G. Morgan ◽  
William Montague

Melittin, an amphipathic polypeptide, stimulated the secretion of insulin from rat islets of Langerhans incubated in vitro. The secretory response was dose-dependent and saturable with half the maximal response elicited by a melittin concentration of 4 μg/ml. The response was rapid in onset, an increase in secretion occurring within 2 rain of exposure of the islets to melittin (2 μg/ml). An enhanced secretory rate could be maintained for at least 40 rain in the presence of melittin but declined steadily when the agent was removed. Stimulation of secretion by melittin occurred in the absence of glucose and in the presence of both 4 mM and 8 mM glucose but not in the presence of 20 mM glucose. The effect of melittin on secretion was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium but was not inhibited by norepinephrine. The data suggest that melittin may be a valuable agent for further study of the role played by the B-cell plasma membrane in the regulation of insulin secretion.


1992 ◽  
Vol 285 (3) ◽  
pp. 973-978 ◽  
Author(s):  
P M Jones ◽  
S J Persaud ◽  
S L Howell

Increasing the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration of electrically permeabilized rat islets of Langerhans caused rapid increases in insulin secretion and in 32P incorporation into islet proteins. However, the secretory responsiveness of permeabilized islets was relatively transient, with insulin secretion approaching basal levels within 20-30 min despite the continued presence of stimulatory concentrations of Ca2+. The loss of Ca2(+)-induced insulin secretion was accompanied by a marked reduction in Ca2(+)-dependent protein phosphorylation, but not in cyclic AMP-dependent protein phosphorylation. Similarly, permeabilized islets which were no longer responsive to Ca2+ were able to mount appropriate secretory responses to cyclic AMP and to a protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester. These results suggest that prolonged exposure to elevated cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations results in a specific desensitization of the secretory mechanism to Ca2+, perhaps as a result of a decrease in Ca2(+)-dependent kinase activity. Furthermore, these studies suggest that secretory responses of B-cells to cyclic AMP and activators of protein kinase C are not dependent upon the responsiveness of the cells to changes in cytosolic Ca2+.


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