AIMS OF THE STUDY Eriobotrya japonica leaves had been used traditionally for the treatment of diabetes mellitus by immersing the dried leaves in a hot water drink. Few studies have shown the hypoglycemic effect of Eriobotrya japonica using crude alcoholic extract and isolated methanolic compounds. These studies proposed that the mechanism of action could be by stimulating the beta-islets of Lan...

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is used as plasticizer and is ubiquitously found in the environment. Exposure to DEHP has been linked to an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes. Pancreatic β-cell dysfunction is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes; however, it is unknown whether DEHP exposure contributes to this risk. Here, we aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effects of DEHP on INS-1 cells and t...

We recently reported that cluster determinant 36 (CD36), a fatty acid transporter, plays a pivotal role in glucotoxicity-induced β-cell dysfunction. However, little is known about how glucotoxicity influences CD36 expression. Emerging evidence suggests that the small GTPase Rac1 is involved in the pathogenesis of beta cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes (T2D). The primary objective of the curre...

In addition to inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity, recent studies suggest that tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 may inhibit apoptosis in various cell lines. To address this question in pancreatic islets and beta-cells, we treated rat pancreatic islets and INS-1 cells with a high-dose combination of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-1beta, tu...

Islet transplantation is one of many therapeutic approaches for the treatment of diabetes. During transplant procedures, the isolated islets are subjected to hypoxic conditions, and undergo the apoptotic process. Curcumin has a cytoprotective effect, and may therefore be useful for the protection of islets under hypoxia. However, curcumin is hydrophobic, and an efficient curcumin carrier is req...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES This study investigated whether Padina arborescens extract (PAE) protects INS-1 pancreatic β cells against glucotoxicity-induced apoptosis. MATERIALS/METHODS Assays, including cell viability, lipid peroxidation, generation of intracellular ROS, NO production, antioxidant enzyme activity and insulin secretion, were conducted. The expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 p...

Mitogenic signal-transduction pathways have not been well defined in pancreatic β-cells. In the glucose-sensitive rat β-cell line, INS-1, glucose (6–18 mM) increased INS-1 cell proliferation (" 20-fold at 15 mM glucose). Rat growth hormone (rGH) also induced INS-1 cell proliferation, but this was glucose-dependent in the physiologically relevant concentration range (6–18 mM glucose). The combin...

We have synthesized two photolabile arylazido-analogues of Ins(1,4,5)P3 selectively substituted at the 1-phosphate group for determination of Ins(1,4,5)P3-binding proteins. These two photoaffinity derivatives, namely N-(4-azidobenzoyl)aminoethanol-1-phospho-D-myo-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate (AbaIP3) and N-(4-azidosalicyl)aminoethanol-1-phospho-D-myo-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate (AsaIP3), bind to hig...

ively block epithelial Ca2 -activated chloride channels David Communi1, Valérie Vanweyenberg (Vajanaphanich et al., 1994; Ismailov et al., 1996). Rapid and Christophe Erneux production of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 in response to receptor activaInstitute of Interdisciplinary Research, Free University of Brussels, tion has been observed in various cell types, such as rat Campus Erasme, Building C, 808 route...