title: Insulin signalling in islets.
abstract: Studies in transgenic animals, rodent insulin-secreting cell lines and rodent islets suggest that insulin acts in an autocrine manner to regulate beta-cell mass and gene expression. Very little is known about the in vitro roles played by insulin in human islets, and the regulatory role of insulin in protecting against beta-cell apoptosis. We have identified mRNAs encoding IRs (insulin receptors) and downstream signalling elements in dissociated human islet beta-cells by single-cell RT (reverse transcription)-PCR, and perifusion studies have indicated that insulin does not have an autocrine role to regulate insulin secretion from human islets, but activation of the closely related IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) receptors is linked to inhibition of insulin secretion. Knockdown of IR mRNA by siRNAs (small interfering RNAs) decreased IR protein expression without affecting IGF-1 receptor levels, and blocked glucose stimulation of preproinsulin gene expression. Similar results were obtained when human islet IRS (IR substrate)-2 was knocked down, whereas depletion of IRS-1 caused an increase in preproinsulin mRNA levels. Studies using the mouse MIN6 beta-cell line indicated that glucose protected beta-cells from undergoing apoptosis and that this was a consequence, at least in part, of insulin release in response to elevated glucose. IGF-1 also exerted anti-apoptotic effects. These data indicate that insulin can exert autocrine effects in human islets through receptors on beta-cells. It protects beta-cells against apoptosis and increases preproinsulin mRNA synthesis, but does not affect insulin secretion.
authors.affiliation: Beta Cell Development & Function Group, King's College London, London, UK. shanta.persaud@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Shanta J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Persaud
authors.forename: Dany
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D019898:Autocrine Communication / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C526292:IRS1 protein, human; D007328:Insulin; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins; C526295:Irs1 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D011972:Receptor, Insulin