Myo-inositol (Ins) is a major compatible osmolyte in many cells, including those of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). Ins biosynthesis is highly up-regulated in tilapia and other euryhaline fish exposed to hyperosmotic stress. In this study, enzymatic regulation of two enzymes of Ins biosynthesis, Ins phosphate synthase (MIPS) and inositol monophosphatase (IMPase), by direct ionic e...

Rat insulinoma-derived INS-1 cells constitute a widely used beta-cell surrogate. However, due to their nonclonal nature, INS-1 cells are heterogeneous and are not stable over extended culture periods. We have isolated clonal INS-1E cells from parental INS-1 based on both their insulin content and their secretory responses to glucose. Here we describe the stable differentiated INS-1E beta-cell p...

1. A method has been devised for quenching cell incubations with an aqueous phenol/chloroform/EDTA mixture of neutral pH, to allow the analysis of acid-labile cell components. 2. Using this method, we have searched for the appearance of Ins(1:2cyclic,4,5)P3 [inositol 1:2(cyclic),4,5-trisphosphate] in WRK1 mammary tumour cells that were labelled to high specific radioactivity with [3H]inositol a...

The small scaffold protein PED/PEA-15 is involved in several different physiologic and pathologic processes, such as cell proliferation and survival, diabetes and cancer. PED/PEA-15 exerts an anti-apoptotic function due to its ability to interfere with both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in different cell types. Recent evidence shows that mice overexpressing PED/PEA-15 present large...

Subtypes of GABAergic interneurons (INs) are crucial for cortical function, yet their specific roles are largely unknown. In contrast to supra- and infragranular layers, where most somatostatin-expressing (SOM) INs are layer 1-targeting Martinotti cells, the axons of SOM INs in layer 4 of somatosensory cortex largely remain within layer 4. Moreover, we found that whereas layers 2/3 SOM INs targ...

Engineered insulinoma cell lines may represent an alternative to isolated islets for transplantation therapy of type 1 diabetes. Success of this approach may require development of cell lines that can withstand cytokine-mediated damage. To this end, we have cultured INS-1 insulinoma cells in increasing concentrations of interleukin-1 ( I L-1 ) + -interferon (IFN) , with approximate weekly itera...

Lai E, Bikopoulos G, Wheeler MB, Rozakis-Adcock M, Volchuk A. Differential activation of ER stress and apoptosis in response to chronically elevated free fatty acids in pancreatic -cells. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 294: E540–E550, 2008. First published January 15, 2008; doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00478.2007.—Chronic exposure to elevated saturated free fatty acid (FFA) levels has been shown to induc...

Liraglutide is administered as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist for diabetic patients and can protect pancreatic β-cells by inhibiting their apoptosis. MicroRNA-139-5p (miRNA-139-5p) participates in the regulation of cancer cell apoptosis. However, it is not clear whether miR-139-5p contributes to the anti-apoptotic effect of liraglutide in β-cells. The objective of the present ...

RESULTS—CXCR4 is expressed in -cells, and SDF-1 is expressed in microvascular endothelial cells within the islets and in surrounding interstitial stromal tissue. Transgenic mice overexpressing SDF-1 within their -cells (RIP-SDF-1 mice) are resistant to STZ-induced -cell apoptosis and diabetes. In MIN6 -cells, a CXCR4 antagonist (AMD3100) induces apoptosis, increases reactive oxygen species, dec...