title: Enhanced protection against cytokine- and fatty acid-induced apoptosis in pancreatic beta cells by combined treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and insulin analogues.
abstract: We recently showed that insulin analogues exhibit a beta-cell protective function. The aim of this study was to test if the anti-apoptotic activity of GLP-1 agonists and insulin analogues is mediated by different pathways and if combined treatment may provide augmented protection against beta-cell death. Incubation of INS-1 cells with cytokines or fatty acids increased the number of apoptotic cells and caspase 3 activity, which was reduced by pretreatment with GLP-1 and its receptor agonists exendin-4 and AVE0010 by 50-60%. Similar effects (about 40% reduction) were observed after pretreatment with several insulin analogues. Combined treatment revealed additive activity and resulted in prevention of both cytokine- and fatty acid-induced apoptosis by up to 80%. No acute Akt-phosphorylation in response to GLP-1 receptor agonists could be observed, however, it became detectable after 24-hour stimulation. Gene silencing of Akt2 increased cytokine-induced apoptosis 2-fold. Under these conditions the beta-cell protective activity of AVE0010 remained completely unaltered. We show here that the anti-apoptotic activity of GLP-1 and its receptor agonists AVE0010 and exendin-4 is enhanced by addition of insulin analogues and that the anti-apoptotic action of GLP-1 mimetics is mostly unrelated to Akt2 signaling. It is suggested that combination of GLP-1 receptor agonists and insulin analogues, specifically insulin glargine, may represent a new therapeutic option for preservation of beta-cell mass in type 2 diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, German Diabetes Center, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tews
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eckel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000077270:Exenatide; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020868:Gene Silencing; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000069036:Insulin Glargine; D049528:Insulin, Long-Acting; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D051381:Rats; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon / Q000819:agonists* / Q000378:metabolism; D014688:Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; C000593835:Glp1r protein, rat; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D049528:Insulin, Long-Acting; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D010455:Peptides; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon; D014688:Venoms; D000069036:Insulin Glargine; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000077270:Exenatide; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D020169:Caspases