title: STAT5 activation by human GH protects insulin-producing cells against interleukin-1beta, interferon-gamma and tumour necrosis factor-alpha-induced apoptosis independent of nitric oxide production.
abstract: The proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) are toxic to pancreatic beta-cells and are implicated in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. We have previously found that GH and prolactin (PRL) stimulate both proliferation and insulin production in pancreatic beta-cells and rat insulin-producing INS-1 cells. Here we report that human (h) GH can prevent the apoptotic effects of IL-1beta, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha in INS-1 and INS-1E cells. Using adenovirus-mediated gene transfer, we found that the anti-apoptotic effect of hGH is abrogated by expression of a dominant negative signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT5) mutant in INS-1E cells. hGH and the cytotoxic cytokines was found to additively increase suppressor of cytokine signalling-3 mRNA expression after 4 h of exposure. In order to identify possible targets for the STAT5-mediated protection of INS-1E cells, we studied the effect of hGH on activation of the transcription factors STAT1 and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) by IFN-gamma and IL-1beta+TNF-alpha respectively. Gel retardation experiments showed that hGH affects neither IFN-gamma+TNF-alpha-induced STAT1 DNA binding nor IL-1beta and IFN-gamma+TNF-alpha-induced NFkappaB DNA binding. The lack of influence of hGH on cytokine-mediated activation of STAT1 and NFkappaB is in accordance with the finding that hGH had only a minor effect on cytokine-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression and in fact augmented the IL-1beta-stimulated nitric oxide production. As the anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL gene has been shown to harbour a STAT5-binding element we measured the expression of Bcl-xL as well as the pro-apoptotic Bax. We found that hGH increased the Bcl-xL/Bax ratio both in the absence and in the presence of cytotoxic cytokines. In conclusion, these results suggested that GH and PRL protect beta-cells against cytotoxic cytokines via STAT5-dependent mechanisms distal to iNOS activation possibly at the level of Bcl-xL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Copenhagen, Panum Institute, Blegdamsvej 3, DK 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark. jj@imbg.ku.dk
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Elisabeth D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Galsgaard
authors.forename: Allan E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Karlsen
authors.forename: Ying C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jens H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D007375:Interleukin-1; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma