title: Involvement of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) in glucocorticoid-mediated beta cell death.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Glucocorticoid hormones (GCs) are widely used to treat a variety of inflammatory and immune diseases. However, their long-term administration is associated with adverse metabolic effects, including glucose intolerance and diabetes. Our objective was to elucidate the mechanisms by which GCs affect beta cell survival with a specific emphasis on the role of the thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) in beta cell apoptosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human and mouse islets, together with MIN6 beta cells, were exposed to dexamethasone (Dex) and apoptosis was assessed by measuring the percentage of sub-G1 cells, the appearance of cleaved caspase-3 or by using a TUNEL assay. Dex-upregulated expression of Txnip mRNA was analysed by real-time PCR, and GC-modulated production and modification of proteins were determined by western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We provide evidence that TXNIP, a negative regulator of the antioxidant thioredoxin (TRX), is strongly induced in beta cells by GCs and that its induction is dependent on p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. TXNIP downregulation by RNA interference, overexpression of the radical scavenger TRX1 or elevation of intracellular cAMP levels attenuated the Dex-mediated apoptosis. Dex-induced Txnip expression and beta cell apoptosis are mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), as the GR antagonist RU486 fully abolishes these effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Altogether, our data suggest TXNIP as a novel mediator of GC-induced apoptosis in beta cells and further contribute to our understanding of beta cell death pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamary
authors.forename: R Vogt
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Sionov
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Melloul
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005938:Glucocorticoids; C486715:TXNIP protein, human; D003907:Dexamethasone; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D053148:Caspase 3