RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Succinate Is a Preferential Metabolic Stimulus-Coupling Signal for Glucose-Induced Proinsulin Biosynthesis Translation JF Diabetes JO Diabetes FD American Diabetes Association SP 2496 OP 2504 DO 10.2337/diabetes.51.8.2496 VO 51 IS 8 A1 Alarcon, Cristina A1 Wicksteed, Barton A1 Prentki, Marc A1 Corkey, Barbara E. A1 Rhodes, Christopher J. YR 2002 UL http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/51/8/2496.abstract AB The secondary signals emanating from increased glucose metabolism, which lead to specific increases in proinsulin biosynthesis translation, remain elusive. It is known that signals for glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and proinsulin biosynthesis diverge downstream of glycolysis. Consequently, the mitochondrial products ATP, Krebs cycle intermediates, glutamate, and acetoacetate were investigated as candidate stimulus-coupling signals specific for glucose-induced proinsulin biosynthesis in rat islets. Decreasing ATP levels by oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors showed comparable effects on proinsulin biosynthesis and total protein synthesis. Although it is a cofactor, ATP is unlikely to be a metabolic stimulus-coupling signal specific for glucose-induced proinsulin biosynthesis. Neither glutamic acid methyl ester nor acetoacetic acid methyl ester showed a specific effect on glucose-stimulated proinsulin biosynthesis. Interestingly, among Krebs cycle intermediates, only succinic acid monomethyl ester specifically stimulated proinsulin biosynthesis. Malonic acid methyl ester, an inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase, also specifically increased glucose-induced proinsulin biosynthesis without affecting islet ATP levels or insulin secretion. Glucose caused a 40% increase in islet intracellular succinate levels, but malonic acid methyl ester showed no further effect, probably due to efficient conversion of succinate to succinyl-CoA. In this regard, a GTP-dependent succinyl-CoA synthetase activity was found in cytosolic fractions of pancreatic islets. Thus, succinate and/or succinyl-CoA appear to be preferential metabolic stimulus-coupling factors for glucose-induced proinsulin biosynthesis translation.