title: Ca2+ oscillations in pancreatic beta-cells exposed to leucine and arginine.
abstract: Dual-wavelength microfluorometry with the fura-2 indicator was employed for continuous recordings of cytoplasmic Ca2+ (Ca2+i) in individual pancreatic beta-cells isolated from ob/ob-mice. When added to a medium containing 3 mmol l-1 glucose, both 10 mmol l-1 leucine and 20 mmol l-1 arginine induced rises in Ca2+i with periodic fluctuations. In the case of leucine, this increase was preceded by initial lowering followed by high-amplitude oscillations with a periodicity of 2-6 min. In a glucose-free medium arginine had no effect, and leucine was unable to induce more than a single peak of Ca2+i increase. When present at a concentration of 1 mmol l-1, leucine sometimes induced a couple of high-amplitude oscillations at 3 mmol l-1 glucose but lowered Ca2+i permanently in a glucose-free medium. It is likely that the high-amplitude oscillations of Ca2+i are related to the electrical activity of the beta-cells. Provided that some glucose was present, leucine initiated a similar type of Ca2+i response as obtained during glucose-induced insulin release. The observed leucine effect is therefore compatible with a role of glycolysis in generating high-amplitude Ca2+ oscillations and pulsatile insulin release.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Cell Biology, Uppsala University, Sweden.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grapengiesser
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gylfe
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hellman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006019:Glycolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000378:metabolism*; D007930:Leucine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051379:Mice; D008820:Mice, Obese
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D001120:Arginine; D007930:Leucine; D005947:Glucose; D002118:Calcium