Diabetes, Vol 42, Issue 10 1514-1519, Copyright © 1993 by American Diabetes Association
Regulation of islet amyloid polypeptide in human pancreatic islets
A Novials, Y Sarri, R Casamitjana, F Rivera and R Gomis
Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.
This study investigated the effect of glucose on islet amyloid polypeptide
secretion, content, and mRNA synthesis of human pancreatic islets. The
release of islet amyloid polypeptide from fresh isolated islets in response
to glucose was parallel to that of insulin. The islet amyloid
polypeptide-to-insulin molar ratios in response to 5.5 and 16.7 mM glucose
were 1:16 and 1:15 respectively. Islets were cultured for 1 and 7 days at
two different glucose concentrations (5.5 and 16.7 mM). The islet amyloid
polypeptide response to the 1-day culture was similar to that of the fresh
islets; however, after the 7-day culture the islet amyloid polypeptide and
insulin secretory responses to glucose were dissociated. The insulin
response of islets to a high-glucose stimulus was significantly (P <
0.001) increased, whereas the islet amyloid polypeptide response of islets
to the same stimulus was blunted. The IAPP content was greater than insulin
content in a molar ratio (1:50 to 1:30) after long exposure of islets to
concentrations of high glucose even though the increase was significant for
both peptides (P < 0.005). Northern blot analysis of each cultured
condition showed an increase of both mRNA IAPP and insulin signals after
exposure of islets at 16.7 mM glucose, the maximum mRNA expression being
after long exposure to high-glucose concentrations. Quantification of both
signals by densitometry showed a greater increase for islet amyloid
polypeptide than for insulin. These findings suggest that IAPP can be
accumulated in beta-cells after long exposure of human islets to
high-glucose concentrations, because glucose increases IAPP synthesis but
not secretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)