title: Effects of acute sodium omission on insulin release, ionic flux and membrane potential in mouse pancreatic B-cells.
abstract: The effects of acute omission of extracellular Na+ on pancreatic B-cell function were studied in mouse islets, using choline and lithium salts as impermeant and permeant substitutes, respectively. In the absence of glucose, choline substitution for Na+ hyperpolarized the B-cell membrane, inhibited 86Rb+ and 45Ca2+ efflux, but did not affect insulin release. In contrast, Li+ substitution for Na+ depolarized the B-cell membrane and caused a Ca2+-independent, transient acceleration of 45Ca2+ efflux and insulin release. Na+ replacement by choline in the presence of 10 mM glucose and 2.5 mM Ca2+ again rapidly hyperpolarized the B-cell membrane. This hyperpolarization was then followed by a phase of depolarization with continuous spike activity, before long slow waves of the membrane potential resumed. Under these conditions, 86Rb+ efflux first decreased before accelerating, concomitantly with marked and parallel increases in 45Ca2+ efflux and insulin release. In the absence of Ca2+, 45Ca2+ and 86Rb+ efflux were inhibited and insulin release was unaffected by choline substitution for Na+. Na+ replacement by Li+ in the presence of 10 mM glucose rapidly depolarized the B-cell membrane, caused an intense continuous spike activity, and accelerated 45Ca2+ efflux, 86Rb+ efflux and insulin release. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+, Li+ still caused a rapid but transient increase in 45Ca2+ and 86Rb+ efflux and in insulin release. Although not indispensable for insulin release, Na+ plays an important regulatory role in stimulus-secretion coupling by modulating, among others, membrane potential and ionic fluxes in B-cells.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Diabétologie et Nutrition, University of Louvain, Faculty of Medicine, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Miguel
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamagawa
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schmeer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nenquin
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Henquin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002794:Choline / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D007700:Kinetics; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D012413:Rubidium / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D008094:Lithium; D012964:Sodium; D005947:Glucose; D012413:Rubidium; D002794:Choline; D002118:Calcium