Zn(II) ions co-secreted with insulin suppress inherent amyloidogenic properties of monomeric insulin

2010 ◽  
Vol 430 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andra Noormägi ◽  
Julia Gavrilova ◽  
Julia Smirnova ◽  
Vello Tõugu ◽  
Peep Palumaa

Insulin, a 51-residue peptide hormone, is an intrinsically amyloidogenic peptide, forming amyloid fibrils in vitro. In the secretory granules, insulin is densely packed together with Zn(II) into crystals of Zn2Insulin6 hexamer, which assures osmotic stability of vesicles and prevents fibrillation of the peptide. However, after release from the pancreatic β-cells, insulin dissociates into active monomers, which tend to fibrillize not only at acidic, but also at physiological, pH values. The effect of co-secreted Zn(II) ions on the fibrillation of monomeric insulin is unknown, however, it might prevent insulin fibrillation. We showed that Zn(II) inhibits fibrillation of monomeric insulin at physiological pH values by forming a soluble Zn(II)–insulin complex. The inhibitory effect of Zn(II) ions is very strong at pH 7.3 (IC50=3.5 μM), whereas at pH 5.5 it progressively weakens, pointing towards participation of the histidine residue(s) in complex formation. The results obtained indicate that Zn(II) ions might suppress fibrillation of insulin at its release sites and in circulation. It is hypothesized that misfolded oligomeric intermediates occurring in the insulin fibrillation pathway, especially in zinc-deficient conditions, might induce autoantibodies against insulin, which leads to β-cell damage and autoimmune Type 1 diabetes.

2004 ◽  
Vol 377 (3) ◽  
pp. 709-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma T. A. S. JAIKARAN ◽  
Melanie R. NILSSON ◽  
Anne CLARK

Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), or ‘amylin’, is co-stored with insulin in secretory granules of pancreatic islet β-cells. In Type 2 diabetes, IAPP converts into a β-sheet conformation and oligomerizes to form amyloid fibrils and islet deposits. Granule components, including insulin, inhibit spontaneous IAPP fibril formation in vitro. To determine the mechanism of this inhibition, molecular interactions of insulin with human IAPP (hIAPP), rat IAPP (rIAPP) and other peptides were examined using surface plasmon resonance (BIAcore), CD and transmission electron microscopy (EM). hIAPP and rIAPP complexed with insulin, and this reaction was concentration-dependent. rIAPP and insulin, but not pro-insulin, bound to hIAPP. Insulin with a truncated B-chain, to prevent dimerization, also bound hIAPP. In the presence of insulin, hIAPP did not spontaneously develop β-sheet secondary structure or form fibrils. Insulin interacted with pre-formed IAPP fibrils in a regular repeating pattern, as demonstrated by immunoEM, suggesting that the binding sites for insulin remain exposed in hIAPP fibrils. Since rIAPP and hIAPP form complexes with insulin (and each other), this could explain the lack of amyloid fibrils in transgenic mice expressing hIAPP. It is likely that IAPP fibrillogenesis is inhibited in secretory granules (where the hIAPP concentration is in the millimolar range) by heteromolecular complex formation with insulin. Alterations in the proportions of insulin and IAPP in granules could disrupt the stability of the peptide. The increase in the proportion of unprocessed pro-insulin produced in Type 2 diabetes could be a major factor in destabilization of hIAPP and induction of fibril formation.


1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (2) ◽  
pp. R833-R837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. H. Wang ◽  
Y. Tache ◽  
A. B. Sheibel ◽  
V. L. Go ◽  
J. Y. Wei

In vitro gastric vagal afferents' (GVAs) unit activities were recorded from the ventral GVA nerve strands in rats. The responsiveness of 16 GVA terminals to close intra-arterial injection of vehicle (0.1 ml), leptin (350 pmol), and cholecystokinin (CCK)-8 (10 pmol) was analyzed to generate a spike count-versus-time histogram. Data of 5-min spike counts before and after each treatment were normalized by dividing the latter by the former. A quotient (Q) > 1 indicates an excitatory effect, Q < 1 indicates an inhibitory effect, and Q close to 1 indicates no effect. Two types of GVA terminals were identified. Type 1 (n = 8) responded to leptin with Q > 1; CCK-8 pretreatment did not consistently alter leptin sensitivity. In contrast, Type 2 (n = 8) responded to leptin with Q < 1 or close to 1, and CCK-8 pretreatment increased the leptin sensitivity so that the terminals responded to subsequent leptin with Q > 1. These data suggest that Type 1 and Type 2 GVA terminals may provide afferent neural signals, which, in turn, will be involved in body weight and food intake control systems, respectively.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q. Jiang ◽  
I. Stamatova ◽  
K. Kari ◽  
J.H. Meurman

Clinical studies have shown that probiotics positively affect oral health by decreasing gum bleeding and/or reducing salivary counts of certain oral pathogens. Our aim was to investigate the inhibitory effect of six probiotic lactobacilli against opportunistic oral Candida species. Sugar utilisation by both lactobacilli and Candida was also assessed. Agar overlay assay was utilised to study growth inhibition of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Candida krusei by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus casei Shirota, Lactobacillus reuteri SD2112, Lactobacillus brevis CD2, Lactobacillus bulgaricus LB86 and L. bulgaricus LB Lact. The inhibitory effect was measured at pH 5.5, 6.4, and 7.2, respectively, and in the presence of five different carbohydrates in growth medium (glucose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, and sorbitol). Growth and final pH values were measured at two-hour time points to 24 h. L. rhamnosus GG showed the strongest inhibitory activity in fructose and glucose medium against C. albicans, followed by L. casei Shirota, L. reuteri SD2112 and L. brevis CD2. None of the lactobacilli tested affected the growth of C. krusei. Only L. rhamnosus GG produced slight inhibitory effect on C. glabrata. The lower pH values led to larger inhibition zones. Sugar fermentation profiles varied between the strains. L. casei Shirota grew in the presence of all sugars tested, whereas L. brevis CD2 could utilise only glucose and fructose. All Candida species metabolised the available sugars but the most rapid growth was observed with C. glabrata. The results suggest that commercially available probiotics differ in their inhibitory activity and carbohydrate utilisation; the above properties are modified by different pH values and sugars with more pronounced inhibition at lower pH.


2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-264
Author(s):  
Bianka Edina Herman ◽  
János Gardi ◽  
János Julesz ◽  
Csaba Tömböly ◽  
Eszter Szánti-Pintér ◽  
...  

Abstract The potential inhibitory effect of diverse triazolyl-ferrocene steroids on key enzymes of the estrogen biosynthesis was investigated. Test compounds were synthesized via copper-catalyzed cycloaddition of steroidal azides and ferrocenyl-alkynes using our efficient methodology published previously. Inhibition of human aromatase, steroid sulfatase (STS) and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (17β-HSD1) activities was investigated with in vitro radiosubstrate incubations. Some of the test compounds were found to be potent inhibitors of the STS. A compound bearing ferrocenyl side chain on the C-2 displayed a reversible inhibition, whereas C-16 and C-17 derivatives displayed competitive irreversible binding mechanism toward the enzyme. 17α-Triazolyl-ferrocene derivatives of 17β-estradiol exerted outstanding inhibitory effect and experiments demonstrated a key role of the ferrocenyl moiety in the enhanced binding affinity. Submicromolar IC50 and Ki parameters enroll these compounds to the group of the most effective STS inhibitors published so far. STS inhibitory potential of the steroidal ferrocenes may lead to the development of novel compounds able to suppress in situ biosynthesis of 17β-estradiol in target tissues.


2009 ◽  
Vol 423 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Maria Nancy Onnebo ◽  
Adolfo Saiardi

Inositol pyrophosphates are involved in a variety of cellular functions, but the specific pathways and/or downstream targets remain poorly characterized. In the present study we use Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants to examine the potential roles of inositol pyrophosphates in responding to cell damage caused by ROS (reactive oxygen species). Yeast lacking kcs1 [the S. cerevisiae IP6K (inositol hexakisphosphate kinase)] have greatly reduced IP7 (diphosphoinositol pentakisphosphate) and IP8 (bisdiphosphoinositol tetrakisphosphate) levels, and display increased resistance to cell death caused by H2O2, consistent with a sustained activation of DNA repair mechanisms controlled by the Rad53 pathway. Other Rad53-controlled functions, such as actin polymerization, appear unaffected by inositol pyrophosphates. Yeast lacking vip1 [the S. cerevisiae PP-IP5K (also known as IP7K, IP7 kinase)] accumulate large amounts of the inositol pyrophosphate IP7, but have no detectable IP8, indicating that this enzyme represents the physiological IP7 kinase. Similar to kcs1Δ yeast, vip1Δ cells showed an increased resistance to cell death caused by H2O2, indicating that it is probably the double-pyrophosphorylated form of IP8 [(PP)2-IP4] which mediates the H2O2 response. However, these inositol pyrophosphates are not involved in directly sensing DNA damage, as kcs1Δ cells are more responsive to DNA damage caused by phleomycin. We observe in vivo a rapid decrease in cellular inositol pyrophosphate levels following exposure to H2O2, and an inhibitory effect of H2O2 on the enzymatic activity of Kcs1 in vitro. Furthermore, parallel cysteine mutagenesis studies performed on mammalian IP6K1 are suggestive that the ROS signal might be transduced by the direct modification of this evolutionarily conserved class of enzymes.


1997 ◽  
Vol 272 (4) ◽  
pp. H1791-H1797 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Piedras-Renteria ◽  
O. D. Sherwood ◽  
P. M. Best

The peptide hormone relaxin has direct, positive inotropic and chronotropic effects on rat hearts in vivo and in vitro. Relaxin's effects on the electrophysiological properties of single quiescent atrial cells from normal rats were investigated with a whole cell patch clamp. Relaxin had a significant inhibitory effect on outward potassium currents. The outward potassium current consisted of a transient component (I(to)) and a sustained component (I(S)). The addition of 100 ng/ml of relaxin inhibited the peak I(to) in a voltage-dependent manner (74% inhibition at a membrane potential of -10 mV to 30% inhibition at +70 mV). The time to reach peak I(to) and the apparent time constant of inactivation of I(to) were increased by relaxin. Dialysis with the protein kinase A inhibitor 5-24 amide (2 microM) prevented relaxin's effects, suggesting an obligatory role for this kinase in the relaxin-dependent regulation of the potassium current.


2004 ◽  
Vol 32 (04) ◽  
pp. 599-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun Joo Lee ◽  
Ju Yeon Ban ◽  
Sang Bum Koh ◽  
Nak Sul Seong ◽  
Kyung Sik Song ◽  
...  

Polygalae Radix (PR) from Polygala tenuifolia (Polygalaceae) is traditionally used in China and Korea, as this herb has a sedative, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent. To extend our understanding of the pharmacological actions of PR in the CNS on the basis of its CNS inhibitory effect, the present study examined whether PR has the neuroprotective action against N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced cell death in primarily cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons. PR, over a concentration range of 0.05 to 5 μg/ml, inhibited NMDA (1 mM)-induced neuronal cell death, which was measured by a trypan blue exclusion test and a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. PR (0.5 μg/ml) inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by NMDA (1 mM), which was measured by HPLC. Pre-treatment of PR (0.5 μg/ml) inhibited NMDA (1 mM)-induced elevation of intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([ Ca 2+] i ), which was measured by a fluorescent dye, Fura 2-AM, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results suggest that PR prevents NMDA-induced neuronal cell damage in vitro.


Circulation ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 116 (suppl_16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xian Wu Cheng ◽  
Kenji Okumura ◽  
Kohzo Nagata ◽  
Hideo Izawa ◽  
Koji Obata ◽  
...  

Objective: Cathepsin (Cat) activation contributes to tissue remodeling, and increased Cat activity and superoxide production has been observed in the left ventricle (LV) during heart failure (HF). In the present study we tested the hypothesis that superoxide-dependnet Cat activation inhibition prevents LV remodeling and dysfunction in the development of HF associated with hypertension. Methods and Results: We treated 8% salt-loaded Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats (n=10 for each group) with vehicle hydralazine (5 mg/kg/d) E64d (a synthesis Cat inhibitor, 10 mg/kg/d), or olmesartan (OLM, 5 mg/kg/d) for 8 weeks. The rats fed 0.3% salt served as age-matched controls. The abundance of Cat mRNAs and proteins localized in cardiac myocytes (CMCs) and Cat-dependent activities were increased in the LV of HF rats and/or humans, and were reduced by OLM treatment. OLM suppressed the elastic lamina degradation by 56% (n=6, p<0.01) concomitant with decreased local Cat S expression in intracoronary smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and restored the balance of elastin to collagen in the LV tissue of HF rats (HF 4.6 ± 0.9% vs. OLM 15.5 ± 2.1% elastin content/collagen content (%), n=6, P=0.031; control 22 ± 2.1%). Furthermore, OLM suppressed not only angiotensin converting enzyme and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT 1 R) and macrophage infiltration but also levels of NADPH oxidase components (p22 phox , gp91 phox , and p47 phox) concomitant with decreased NADPH activity and O 2 − production in LV tissues of HF rats and humans. These changes were accompanied by improved cardiac fibrosis, stiffness, and dysfunction. Interestingly, LV remodeling and dysfunction were partially improved by treatment with E64d. In vitro, H 2 O 2 stimulated Cat S mRNA and protein expression and activity, and these increases were abolished by pretreatment with MnTmPyp (50 μ mol/L) and N-acetylcysteine (5 mmol/L) as well as apocynin (100 μ mol/L) in culture CMCs (n=6, p<0.01). Conclusions: This is the first report showing that Cats are likely to trigger and promote LV remodeling, and that AT 1 R inhibition exerts inhibitory effect on Cat activation system by the inhibition of NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide anion production, leading to the prevention of cardiac remodeling and dysfunction.


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