Abstract

OBJECTIVE Chronic exposure of pancreatic β-cells to saturated free fatty acids (FFAs) causes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis and may contribute to β-cell loss in type 2 diabetes. Here, we evaluated the molecular mechanisms involved in the protection of β-cells from lipotoxic ER stress by glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 agonists utilized in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS INS-1E or fluorescence-activated cell sorter–purified primary rat β-cells were exposed to oleate or palmitate with or without the GLP-1 agonist exendin-4 or forskolin. Cyclopiazonic acid was used as a synthetic ER stressor, while the activating transcription factor 4–C/EBP homologous protein branch was selectively activated with salubrinal. The ER stress signaling pathways modulated by GLP-1 agonists were studied by real-time PCR and Western blot. Knockdown by RNA interference was used to identify mediators of the antiapoptotic GLP-1 effects in the ER stress response and downstream mitochondrial cell death mechanisms.

RESULTS Exendin-4 and forskolin protected β-cells against FFAs via the induction of the ER chaperone BiP and the antiapoptotic protein JunB that mediate β-cell survival under lipotoxic conditions. On the other hand, exendin-4 and forskolin protected against synthetic ER stressors by inactivating caspase 12 and upregulating Bcl-2 and X-chromosome–linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein that inhibit mitochondrial apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS These observations suggest that GLP-1 agonists increase in a context-dependent way the β-cell defense mechanisms against different pathways involved in ER stress–induced apoptosis. The identification of the pathways modulated by GLP-1 agonists allows for targeted approaches to alleviate β-cell ER stress in diabetes.