title: Down-regulated expression of exocytotic proteins in pancreatic islets of diabetic GK rats.
abstract: Exocytosis is regulated by exocytotic proteins, which are present in insulin-secreting beta-cells and play regulatory roles in insulin secretion. Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes) is a disease characterized by impaired insulin secretion and insulin resistance. Exocytotic protein immunoreactivities were studied in pancreatic islets of type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats using immunofluorescence histochemistry. The immunoreactivities for vesicle-associated membrane protein-2 (VAMP-2), synaptotagmin III, cysteine string protein (CSP), mammalian homologue of the unc-18 gene (Munc-18), alpha-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive attachment protein (alpha-SNAP), N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) and synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25) exhibited weaker immunofluorescence intensity in islets of GK rats as compared to control Wistar rats. Insulin immunoreactivity was also decreased in GK rat beta-cells, whereas no detectable alterations in the expression of actin immunoreactivity could be detected. The data suggest that reduced expression of exocytotic proteins and decreased insulin content may contribute to the diabetic syndrome in the GK rat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Akhtar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Claes-Goran
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ostenson
authors.forename: Per-Olof
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Berggren
authors.forename: Suad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Efendic
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meister
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005089:Exocytosis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007328:Insulin / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D022142:Secretory Vesicles / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015415:Biomarkers; D007328:Insulin; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011506:Proteins