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Biomedical subjects

A Lernmark

Publications and source records attributed to A Lernmark.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Expression of major histocompatibility antigens on pancreatic islet cells.

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is often accompanied by manifestations of autoimmunity and is frequently associated with certain HLA haplotypes, predominantly DR3 and DR4. Because the major histocompatibility antigens are important determinants of the immune response in various tissues, we have investigated their expression on the pancreatic islet cells. Human, mouse, or rat islets of Langerhans, as well as lymphocytes or other differentiated cells, were biosynthetically labeled with radioactive amino acids, lysed in detergent, and immunoprecipitated with several antisera specific for major histocompatibility antigenic groups. The immunoprecipitates were analyzed by NaDodSo4/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions followed by autoradiography. The major histocompatibility antigens corresponding to the H-2 K,D molecules in mice, the H1-A in rats, and the HLA-A, -B, and -C in humans were precipitated from both islet and lymphocyte lysates and were accompanied by beta 2-microglobulin. Binding of H-2 antibodies to islet cells was also confirmed by a radioligand assay using 125I-labeled protein A and by indirect immunofluorescence. Analyses in the fluorescence-activated cell sorter revealed that greater than 95% of the cells in the beta-cell-rich fraction were fluorescent, providing further evidence that the pancreatic beta cells express the major histocompatibility antigens. Monoclonal antibodies or mouse alloantisera against HLA-DR or Ia antigens did not react with labeled pancreatic islet cell proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Islet transplantation in mice differing in the I and S subregions of the H-2 complex.

Diabetic A.TL and A.TH mice, congenic inbred strains differing only in the I and S (non-K, non-D) regions of the major histocompatibility (H-2) complex, received intrasplenic allogeneic and isogeneic pancreatic islet transplants. The isografts were uniformly accepted, while approximately 60% of the recipients receiving allografts rejected the islets, most within 4 weeks of transplantation. With either strain the animals accepting the allografts had higher blood glucose values than normal mice or isografted recipients. After a minimum of 13 weeks of nearly normal glucose levels, successfully allografted mice received skin grafts and spleen cells. None of the A.TH recipients rejected the A.TL islets, but two of four A.TL recipients of A.TH islets became diabetic after the skin grafts. These observations suggest a variable response to islet transplanted across this isolated difference of the H-2 complex. Furthermore, allografted islets resisting rejection did not provide normal glucose levels in the recipients.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Block in insulin release from column-perifused pancreatic beta-cells induced by islet cell surface antibodies and complement.

Dispersed rat pancreatic islet cells were mixed into a short column of Bio-Gel P-2 polyacrylamide beads and perifused with an antiserum containing islet cell surface antibodies. The release of radioactive chromium from prelabeled cells, as a measure of cell membrane permeability, was not affected by cell surface antibodies alone, but increased dramatically in the presence of complement. While there was an eightfold increase in glucose-stimulated insulin release from beta-cells exposed to control serum and complement, insulin release was completely blocked from beta-cells exposed to islet-cell-specific antibodies and complement. These findings suggest that islet cell surface antibodies can mediate complement-dependent cytotoxicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

A major loss in islet mass and B-cell function precedes hyperglycemia in mice given multiple low doses of streptozotocin.

Streptozotocin (SZ) given in five low doses causes diabetes and an associated lymphocytic infiltration of the pancreatic islets. Using C57BL/KsJ-mice, we demonstrate a reduction in islet number (--38%) and volume (--64%) within 1 day following the last injection of SZ. A substantial fall of insulin secretory capacity (--84%) in the in vitro perfused pancreas matches the reduction in islet cell volume. The parameters of decreased islet function seem to precede the peak of lymphocytic infiltration, occurring 3 days after the last dose of SZ. These functional changes are readily demonstrable before a rise in fasting blood glucose, but they seem to be reflected more readily by a rise in nonfasting blood glucose levels. With development of overt diabetes, as measured by elevated fasting and nonfasting glucose levels, the measures of islet volume and function are reduced to levels only 1--2% of those found in control mice. Taken together, these observations reflect a rapid, islet-toxic effect of SZ that substantially decreases insulin secretory capacity. When islet function falls more than 90%, blood glucose levels begin to reflect the pathophysiologic process. In many aspects, the low-dose SZ model of diabetes parallels the development of diabetes in man. If so, measures other than blood sugar must be developed to identify at an early stage processes reducing islet volume and function.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Effect of diabetes on islet area and beta-cell function.

beta-cell function was studied in the isolated perfused mouse pancreas. Morphometrical analysis of the islets of Langerhans was done after in situ staining with dithizone. Islet area correlated well with the fasted body weight. Fasting hyperglycemia was induced 15 days after the start of a daily injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) for 5 days. At day 15 the total islet area was reduced to 1% and total insulin release to 4% of the controls. The presence of fasting hyperglycemia in mice after low-dose streptozotocin treatment is associated with a major loss in beta-cell function and islet mass.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Formation of biologically active peptides.

Many small biologicaly active peptides are derived from larger precursor forms which fulfil a variety of roles in the synthesis, segregation and intracellular migration of secretory products. Limited proteolysis may occur at several stages during this process, giving rise to products that are either degraded (e.g. the prepeptides) or discharged coordinately from their cells of origin during exocytosis (e.g. insulin and C-peptide). Molecular defects have recently been found to occur at cleavage sites in proinsulin as well as in other proproteins, and these point mutations may, in some instances, be responsible for familial metabolic disorders. The nature and cell specificity of the proteolytic enzymes involved in the conversion of the various precursor forms remains unresolved. Recent studies in our laboratory have led to the identification of precursors of glucagon and somatostatin in rat islets of Langerhans. Analysis of tryptic maps of these precursors has shown that a trypsin-like enzyme would be sufficient to cleave the C-terminally located somatostatin sequence from its precursor (relative molecular mass 12,500), but that both trypsin-like and carboxypeptidase B-like enzymes would be necessary to cleave the internal glucagon sequence from its prohormone (relative molecular mass 18,000). Molecular cloning techniques have provided valuable new approaches to analysing the structures of a variety of precursor forms, including those for insulin, gastrin, growth hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone and the endorphins, and in the future will undoubtedly shed more light on the structures of their chromosomal genes, the mechanisms regulating their expression, and their evolutionary origins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1980

Ontogenetic patterns of thyrotropin-releasing hormone-like material in rat hypothalamus, pancreas, and retina: selective effect of light deprivation.

Recent observations have shown the presence of thyrotropin-releasing hormone-like material (TRH-LM) in rat pancreatic islets and in retina. Its immunological and biological properties are identical to those of synthetic thyrotropin-releasing hormone (thyroliberin). This communication deals with the ontogenesis of TRH-LM in rat pancreas and retina as compared to that of rat hypothalamus. Effects of sex and exposure to constant dark were also studied. Results show that asynchronous changes in the concentration of TRH-LM occur during the postnatal maturation of these tissues, presumably mediated by organ-specific control mechanisms--e.g., light affects only the accumulation of TRH-LM in the retina. TRH-LM may act as neurotransmitter in the regulation of pancreatic islet cell function and in the development of photo-reception in the retina. Increases in hypothalamic TRH-LM seem to parallel the development of the pituitary-thyroid secretory activity, but the function of extrahypothalamic TRH-LM remains speculative.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Initial uptake and insulin releasing action of chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid (CMBS) in suspensions of pancreatic islet cells.

The effects of chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid on dispersed cells prepared from beta-cell-rich ob/ob-mouse islets were studied. 1) Chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid at concentrations of 0.1 mmol/l or higher diminished cell viability which was partially counteracted by increasing concentrations of bovine serum albumin. 2) The uptake of 203Hg-chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid after incubation for 4 seconds or longer showed that most of the non-toxic concentrations of chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid was bound to the cell within 40 seconds. Maximal uptake was achieved after 3 minutes of incubation. The uptake of radioactive chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid was inhibited by bovine serum albumin. 3) The dynamics of insulin release from perifused dispersed beta-cells embedded in fibrin showed a maximal 40--50-fold stimulation by 0.03 mmol/l chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid within 10 minutes of perifusion. 4) Scanning electron microscopy of beta-cells revealed no major changes in the cell surface under conditions of maximal binding and insulin releasing effects of chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid. These data support the concept that the ability of chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid to induce insulin release is related to its initial binding to the beta-cell surface. The binding of chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid and the subsequent release of insulin seem to occur without major changes in beta-cell surface morphology.

4-Chloromercuribenzenesulfonate↗
PubMed1980

Cation-activated phosphatase activities in islet cell plasma membrane preparations.

Pancreatic islets from rats or ob/ob mice were homogenized and fractionated either by a two-step or one-step sucrose gradient centrifugation. A plasma membrane enriched fraction was obtained at a sucrose density of about 1.10. The distribution of the plasma membrane probe 125I-wheat germ agglutinin was parallel to that of other plasma membrane markers. Hydrolysis of Mg-ATP-gamma-3Pp in rat islet membranes was of high specific activity, but was little affected by K+ and/or Na+. K+-activated, ouabain-sensitive phosphatase activities were, on the other hand, readily demonstrated in both rat and ob/ob mouse islet membranes. The K+-activated hydrolysis of organophosphate indicators were markedly inhibited by ATP. The binding of 45Ca2+ to mouse islet plasma membranes was increased by ATP. Cation transport and the interaction of Ca2+ with the islet cell plasma membrane may be dependent on phosphoryl-transfer reactions with ATP as the physiological substrate.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1980

Direct streptozotocin toxicity on dispersed mouse islet cells determined by [51]Cr-release.

Dispersed islet cells were prepared from collagenase-isolated lean mouse pancreatic islets by Dispase-II and subsequent mechanical treatment in calcium depleted media. An average yield of 600 cells per islet was obtained, 84% of the cells being beta-cells. Cells were incubated with radioactive chromium as a marker of cell viability. Optimal labelling of 1--2 cpm per cell was obtained by incubating 10(5) cells with 10(6) cpm of [51]Cr for 90 min. When islet cells were incubated with streptozotocin, this drug induced [51]Cr-release after a lag time of 2--4 hours. Furthermore, a positive correlation between streptozotocin concentrations and [51]Cr-release was found. This assay of cytotoxicity was highly reproducible and might be applicable in the study of other beta-cell damaging agents or autoimmune phenomena in the pathogenesis of diabetes.

Animals↗