Islet cells undergo major changes in structure and function to meet the demand for increased insulin secretion during pregnancy, but the nature of the hormonal interactions and signaling events is incompletely understood. Here, we used the glucose-responsive MIN6 beta-cell line treated with prolactin (PRL), progesterone (PRG), and dexamethasone (DEX, a synthetic glucocorticoid), all elevated du...

Insulin release by pancreatic β cells plays a key role in regulating blood glucose levels in humans, and to understand the mechanism for insulin secretion may reveal therapeutic strategies for diabetes. We found that PI4KIIα transgenic (TG) mice have abnormal glucose tolerance and higher serum glucose levels than wild-type mice. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was significantly reduced in ...

Despite the urgent need for assays to visualize insulin secretion there is to date no reliable method available for measuring insulin release from single cells. To address this need, we developed a genetically encoded reporter termed RINS1 based on proinsulin superfolder GFP (sfGFP) and mCherry fusions for monitoring insulin secretion. RINS1 expression in MIN6 β cells resulted in proper process...

Objectives: Several studies have reported that the Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin-like subtype 5 (TRPM5) channel, a Ca activated monovalent cation channel, is involved in the stimulus secretion coupling in the mouse pancreatic β-cells. We have studied the role of the TRPM5 channel in regulating insulin secretion, and cytoplasmic free Ca concentration ([Ca]i) in the rat β-cells by using...

OBJECTIVE Changes in insulin sensitivity (IS) and insulin secretion occur with perturbations in energy balance and glycemic load (GL) of the diet that may precede the development of insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. Determinants of changes in IS and insulin secretion with weight cycling in non-obese healthy subjects remain unclear. METHODS In a 6wk controlled 2-stage randomized dietary...

Specific amino acids are now known to acutely and chronically regulate insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells in vivo and in vitro. Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which amino acids regulate insulin secretion may identify novel targets for future diabetes therapies. Mitochondrial metabolism is crucial for the coupling of amino acid and glucose recognition to the exocytosis of the i...

In addition to the well known regulating effects of leptin on energy balance and glucose homeostasis through the central nervous system, circulating leptin has a direct effect on pancreatic islet and insulin secretion through its receptor (OBRb). The LIM-homeodomain transcription factor Isl-1 is expressed in all classes of pancreatic endocrine cells and is involved in regulating both islet deve...

Thiazolidinedione analogs are new antidiabetic agents that attenuate peripheral insulin resistance in noninsulin-dependent diabetic patients; however, the effects of these agents on insulin secretion are not known. We determined the short-term and long-term effects of troglitazone (CS-045) on insulin secretion in a Syrian hamster clonal beta-cell line, HIT-T 15 cells. The direct effect of trogl...