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Biomedical subjects

G C Weir

Publications and source records attributed to G C Weir.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Function, mass, and replication of porcine and rat islets transplanted into diabetic nude mice.

Well-characterized aliquots of adult porcine and rat islets of comparable beta-cell mass were transplanted under the kidney capsule of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nude mice. In both porcine and rat islet grafts, beta-cell mass decreased significantly in the first 2 months and stabilized thereafter. As with beta-cell mass, insulin content decreased significantly in the first 2 months to almost 40% of that originally implanted. In porcine grafts, however, insulin content at 4 months was significantly higher than at 2 months. The endocrine non-beta-cell mass of grafts also decreased significantly after transplantation: in porcine grafts, the decrease was less than in rat and was limited to the first 2 months. beta-cell replication of engrafted islets was significantly lower in porcine than in rat grafts. Although beta-cell mass of porcine and rat grafts was similar at all time periods, recipients of porcine islets required a significantly longer time to reach normal glucose levels; nonetheless, their blood glucose levels continued to decrease and stabilized at levels significantly lower than those of normal mice. During oral and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests, blood glucose increased only slightly in both the recipients of porcine and rat grafts. When graft-bearing kidneys were perfused in situ, porcine islet grafts showed a 20-fold increase in insulin release in response to both glucose and arginine. In conclusion, this evidence that adult porcine islet grafts can bring glucose levels to those that are normal for humans provides further support of their potential for human islet replacement therapy.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Loss of glucose-induced insulin secretion and GLUT2 expression in transplanted beta-cells.

Either 200 or 400 syngeneic islets were transplanted under the kidney capsule of normal or streptozocin-induced diabetic B6/AF1 mice. The diabetic mice with 400 islets became normoglycemic, but those with 200 islets, an insufficient number, were still diabetic after the transplantation (Tx). Two weeks after Tx, GLUT2 expression in the islet grafts was evaluated by immunofluorescence and Western blots, and graft function was examined by perfusion of the graft-bearing kidney. Immunofluorescence for GLUT2 was dramatically reduced in the beta-cells of grafts with 200 islets exposed to hyperglycemia. However, it was plentiful in grafts with 400 islets in a normoglycemic environment. Densitometric analysis of Western blots on graft homogenates demonstrated that GLUT2 protein levels in the islets, when exposed to chronic hyperglycemia for 2 weeks, were decreased to 16% of those of normal recipients. Moreover, these grafts had defective glucose-induced insulin secretion, while the effects of arginine were preserved. We conclude that GLUT2 expression in normal beta-cells is promptly down-regulated during exposure to hyperglycemia and may contribute to the loss of glucose-induced secretion of diabetes.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Long-term normalization of GLUT 4 protein content in skeletal muscle of streptozotocin-diabetic Lewis rats after islet transplantation.

Islet transplantation under the kidney capsule of STZ-diabetic Lewis rats was able to maintain near-normoglycemia over a period of 6 months. Fasting insulin in these animals was higher compared to controls but did not increase after feeding. Plasma glucose following an OGTT at 2 months was only slightly impaired, and after 6 months was more severely impaired in the Tx rats. An IVGTT 6 months after Tx confirmed impaired glucose tolerance and showed a loss of first phase insulin release. GLUT 4 protein content in skeletal muscle was completely restored in Tx animals. In conclusion, long-term near-normoglycemia after syngeneic islet transplantation under the kidney capsule of STZ-diabetic Lewis rats is associated with complete normalization of skeletal muscle GLUT 4 protein content, even in the presence of abnormal glucose tolerance and impaired insulin secretion.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Pancreatic islet cell toxicity of amylin associated with type-2 diabetes mellitus.

The 37-amino-acid polypeptide amylin is the principal constituent of the amyloid deposits that form in the islets of Langerhans in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus, but its role in the pathogenesis of this disease is unresolved. In view of the fact that the beta-amyloid protein that forms fibrils in Alzheimer's disease is toxic to neurons, we have investigated whether amylin fibrils could be toxic to pancreatic islet cells. We show here that human amylin is toxic to insulin-producing beta-cells of the adult pancreas of rats and humans. This toxicity is mediated by the fibrillar form of the amylin peptide and requires direct contact of the fibrils with the cell surface. The mechanism of cell death involves RNA and protein synthesis and is characterized by plasma membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation, indicating that amylin induces islet cell apoptosis. These findings indicate that amylin fibril formation in the pancreas may cause islet cell dysfunction and death in type-2 diabetes mellitus.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Transplanted beta cell response to increased metabolic demand. Changes in beta cell replication and mass.

We determined the capacity of transplanted beta cells to modify their replication and mass when stimulated by changes in metabolic demand. Five groups of Lewis rats were studied: group 1 (Tx-Px) had a 95% pancreatectomy 14 d after transplantation of 500 islets; group 2 (Px-Tx) had a 95% pancreatectomy 14 d before transplantation of 500 islets; group 3 (Tx) was transplanted with 500 islets; group 4 (Px) had a 95% pancreatectomy; and group 5 (normal) was neither transplanted nor pancreatectomized. Blood glucose was normal in Tx-Px and Tx groups at all times. Px-Tx and Px groups developed severe hyperglycemia after pancreatectomy that was corrected in Px-Tx group in 83% of rats 28 d after transplantation. Replication of transplanted beta cells increased in Tx-Px (1.15 +/- 0.12%) and Px-Tx (0.85 +/- 0.12%) groups, but not in Tx group (0.64 +/- 0.07%) compared with normal pancreatic beta cells (0.38 +/- 0.05%) (P < 0.001). Mean beta cell size increased in Tx-Px (311 +/- 14 microns2) and Px-Tx (328 +/- 13 microns2) groups compared with Tx (252 +/- 12 microns2) and normal (239 +/- 9 microns2) groups (P < 0.001). Transplanted beta cell mass increased in Tx-Px (1.87 +/- 0.51 mg) and Px-Tx (1.55 +/- 0.21 mg) groups compared with Tx group (0.78 +/- 0.17 mg) (P < 0.05). In summary, changes in transplanted beta cells prevented the development of hyperglycemia in Tx-Px rats. Transplanted beta cells responded to increased metabolic demand increasing their beta cell mass.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Beneficial influence of glycemic control upon the growth and function of transplanted islets.

Syngeneic transplantation of 200 mouse islets under the kidney capsule usually fails to cure streptozocin-induced diabetes. We hypothesized that this number of islets, if engrafted in a normoglycemic environment, could expand their mass and improve their function to restore normoglycemia. Therefore, 200 freshly isolated mouse islets were transplanted under the capsule of each kidney of diabetic mice. Two weeks after transplantation, the recipients were normoglycemic, and one of the two grafts was removed. Removal of the graft was followed by transient hyperglycemia. At day 14 after graft removal, the beta-cell mass and insulin content of the remaining graft had increased 2.3- and 2.1-fold, respectively. At day 3 after graft removal, the replication rate of beta-cells increased threefold, and the mean individual beta-cell cross-sectional area, an indicator of cell size, was also increased. Perfusion of the kidney bearing the remaining graft showed biphasic insulin responses to high glucose and arginine 14 days after one graft removal. These data indicate that maintaining a period of near-normoglycemia after islet transplantation enhances the performance of an islet graft that would otherwise be expected to fail.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Replication of adult pancreatic-beta cells cultured on bovine corneal endothelial cell extracellular matrix.

A valuable system has been developed to study replication of adult beta cells. Isolated islets from adult rats were partially dispersed and plated on dishes coated with extracellular matrix from bovine-corneal endothelial cells. Within 24 h islet cells attached to the matrix and formed a monolayer. The proportion of insulin-, glucagon-, and somatostatin-containing cells in the cultures was characteristic of whole islets. Function of beta cells was assessed by measuring glucose-stimulated insulin release. Insulin release from 7-day-old cultures increased 19-fold after a 16.7 mM glucose challenge indicating that beta-cell function was normal. Cellular replication in the cultures was assessed using the thymidine analogue 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). BrdU incorporation was noted in insulin-, glucagon-, and somatostatin-containing cells and also in non-endocrine cells. Among endocrine cells, the majority of BrdU labeling occurred in beta cells. Beta-cell replication potential was assessed using different concentrations of glucose. The incorporation of BrdU into beta cells was affected in a dose-dependent manner by glucose; over a 10-fold increase of beta-cell BrdU labeling was observed when glucose concentration was raised from 5.5 to 16.7 mM. The system proved advantageous for studying the replication potential of adult beta cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Glucagon-like peptide-I-(7-37) suppresses hyperglycemia in rats.

Glucagon-like peptide-(GLP) I-(7-37) is an endogenous hormone that has recently been demonstrated to be a potent insulin secretagogue. In these studies, GLP was administered during oral and intravenous (IV) glucose tolerance tests (OGTT and IVGTT, respectively) to determine whether this peptide could enhance postprandial insulin levels and thus reduce glycemic excursions. Surprisingly, during OGTT, GLP administration did not augment insulin secretion; however, GLP administration resulted in significantly lower glycemic excursions. In fasted rats, glycemic excursions were significantly reduced 10 and 20 minutes after receiving GLP (P < .001). Fed rats that received GLP had virtually no initial increase in plasma glucose level after administration of oral glucose. During IVGTT, glucose alone increased insulin levels eightfold, while administration of both glucose and GLP resulted in a 15-fold increase (P < .001). These IVGTT data support previous studies that show GLP to be a potent and glucose-dependent insulin secretagogue. Furthermore, all of these studies suggest that GLP reduces postprandial glycemic excursion and thus may be useful in the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1993

Beta cell mass and growth after syngeneic islet cell transplantation in normal and streptozocin diabetic C57BL/6 mice.

In islet transplantation, nonimmunological factors such as limited growth capacity or increased death rate could reduce the beta cell mass in the graft and lead to failure of the transplant. We studied the evolution of beta cell replication and mass after transplantation of insufficient, minimally sufficient, or excessive islet tissue. Streptozocin diabetic C57BL/6 mice received 150 or 300 syngeneic islets under the kidney capsule and normal mice received 300 islets. In streptozocin diabetic mice 300 islets restored normoglycemia; beta cell replication in transplanted islets was similar to replication in normal pancreas and beta cell mass in the graft remained constant. In contrast, 150 islets were insufficient to achieve normoglycemia; beta cell replication was increased initially but not by 18 or 30 d despite persistent hyperglycemia, and beta cell mass fell progressively. When islets were transplanted into normal recipients, beta cell replication remained normal but beta cells underwent atrophy and mass in the graft was substantially reduced. Therefore, with a successful islet transplant, in diabetic mice beta cell replication and mass remain constant. In contrast, when insufficient islet tissue is transplanted an initial increase in beta cell replication can not compensate for a decline in beta cell mass. When excessive islet tissue is transplanted, beta cell mass is reduced despite normal beta cell replication.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The loss of GLUT2 expression by glucose-unresponsive beta cells of db/db mice is reversible and is induced by the diabetic environment.

Glucose-induced insulin secretion by beta cells of diabetic db/db mice was studied by a pancreas perfusion technique, and the levels of GLUT2 protein in pancreatic islets were assessed by immunofluorescence microscopy and protein blot analysis. Beta cells from diabetic mice had a high basal rate of insulin secretion; they did not respond to glucose stimulation but displayed a normal secretory response to arginine. At the same time, GLUT2 expression by db/db islets was lost whereas beta cells from nondiabetic db/+ mice expressed high levels of this transporter. GLUT2 levels in liver or kidney of diabetic mice were, however, mostly unaltered. Transplanting islets from db/db mice under the kidney capsule of db/+ mice restored normal GLUT2 levels. Conversely, transplantation of db/+ islets into db/db mice induced the disappearance of GLUT2 expression. When islets from db/+ mice were transplanted under the kidney capsule of streptozocin-diabetic mice, the immunodetection of GLUT2 also disappeared. We conclude that: (a) GLUT2 expression is decreased in glucose-unresponsive beta cells from db/db mice; (b) the decreased expression of GLUT2 is reversible; (c) the loss of GLUT2 expression is induced by the diabetic environment of db/db and streptozocin-induced diabetic mice. These observations together with previously published data suggest that a factor different from glucose or insulin regulates the beta cell expression of GLUT2.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Recovery of glucose-induced insulin secretion in a rat model of NIDDM is not accompanied by return of the B-cell GLUT2 glucose transporter.

The NSTZ rat model combines loss of glucose-induced insulin secretion with a reduced amount of the high Km B-cell glucose transporter, GLUT2. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the restoration of glucose-induced insulin secretion was paralleled by an increase of GLUT2. Rats injected at 2 days of age with 90 mg/kg STZ were studied at 8-13 wk of age. Insulin secretion was assessed in the isolated perfused pancreas with 16.7 mM glucose preceded by 40 min of 0 or 5.5 mM glucose. In control rats, 16.7 mM glucose caused the same large biphasic insulin response whether preceded by 0 or 5.5 mM glucose. In NSTZ rats, after 5.5 mM glucose, 16.7 mM glucose elicited virtually no rise in insulin release. In contrast, after 0 mM glucose, a large insulin response to the glucose challenge occurred that was equal to that of the control groups when the differences in B-cell mass were taken into account. However, the dose-response curve for glucose-induced insulin secretion was shifted to the left, and no second phase of insulin secretion was observed. GLUT2 was assessed after the perfusions by indirect immunofluorescence with anti-GLUT2 antisera. Both control groups showed homogenous staining in all B-cells. NSTZ rats perfused with 5.5 mM glucose had a marked diminution in GLUT2 staining. We observed no increase in GLUT2 staining in the NSTZ rats perfused with 0 mM glucose.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗