The proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 (IL-1 ), interferon-(IFN-) and tumour necrosis factor-(TNF-) are toxic to pancreatic -cells and are implicated in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. We have previously found that GH and prolactin (PRL) stimulate both proliferation and insulin production in pancreatic -cells and rat insulin-producing INS-1 cells. Here we report that human (h) GH can prevent the apoptotic effects of IL-1 , IFN-and TNF-in INS-1 and INS-1E cells. Using adenovirus-mediated gene transfer, we found that the anti-apoptotic effect of hGH is abrogated by expression of a dominant negative signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT5) mutant in INS-1E cells. hGH and the cytotoxic cytokines was found to additively increase suppressor of cytokine signalling-3 mRNA expression after 4 h of exposure. In order to identify possible targets for the STAT5-mediated protection of INS-1E cells, we studied the effect of hGH on activation of the transcription factors STAT1 and nuclear factor-B (NF-B) by IFNand IL-1 +TNF-respectively. Gel retardation experiments showed that hGH affects neither IFN-+ TNF--induced STAT1 DNA binding nor IL-1 and IFN-+TNF--induced NF B DNA binding. The lack of influence of hGH on cytokine-mediated activation of STAT1 and NF B is in accordance with the finding that hGH had only a minor effect on cytokine-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression and in fact augmented the IL-1 -stimulated nitric oxide production. As the anti-apoptotic Bcl-x L gene has been shown to harbour a STAT5-binding element we measured the expression of Bcl-x L as well as the pro-apoptotic Bax. We found that hGH increased the Bcl-x L /Bax ratio both in the absence and in the presence of cytotoxic cytokines. In conclusion, these results suggested that GH and PRL protect -cells against cytotoxic cytokines via STAT5-dependent mechanisms distal to iNOS activation possibly at the level of Bcl-x L .

Background: -cells are extremely rich in zinc and zinc homeostasis is regulated by zinc transporter proteins. -cells are sensitive to cytokines, interleukin-1 (IL-1 ) has been associated with -cell dysfunction and -death in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This study explores the regulation of zinc transporters following cytokine exposure.

Proinflammatory cytokines are implicated as effector molecules in the pathogenesis of IDDM. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) alone or in combination with IL-1beta inhibits glucose-stimulated insulin release from isolated rat pancreatic islets by unknown mechanisms. Here we investigated 1) if the effects of IL-6 are mimicked by ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), another member of the IL-6 family of cytokines signaling via gp130, 2) the possible cellular mechanisms for these effects, and 3) if islet endocrine cells are a source of CNTF. CNTF (20 ng/ml) potentiated IL-1beta-mediated (5-150 pg/ml) nitric oxide (NO) synthesis from neonatal Wistar rat islets by 31-116%, inhibition of accumulated insulin release by 34-49%, and inhibition insulin response to a 2-h glucose challenge by 31-36%. CNTF potentiated IL-1beta-mediated NO synthesis from RIN-5AH cells by 83%, and IL-1beta induced islet inducible NO-synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression fourfold. IL-6 (10 ng/ml) also potentiated IL-1beta-mediated NO synthesis and inhibition of insulin release, whereas beta-nerve growth factor (NGF) (5 or 50 ng/ml) had no effect. mRNA for CNTF was expressed in rat islets and in islet cell lines. In conclusion, CNTF is constitutively expressed in pancreatic beta-cells and potentiates the beta-cell inhibitory effect of IL-1beta in association with increased iNOS expression and NO synthesis, an effect shared by IL-6 but not by beta-NGF. These findings indicate that signaling via gp130 influences islet NO synthesis associated with iNOS expression. We hypothesize that CNTF released from destroyed beta-cells during the inflammatory islet lesion leading to IDDM may potentiate IL-1beta action on the beta-cells.

We studied the distribution of the M(r) 65,000 and M(r) 67,000 isoforms of glutamic acid decarboxylase, GAD65 and GAD67, in rat islets and brain by immunocytochemistry. Synthetic peptides representing selected GAD65 or GAD67 sequences were used to produce sequence-specific antibodies, allowing differential immunocytochemical detection of the two isoforms. GAD-specific reactivity of each peptide antiserum was confirmed by ELISA, immunoblotting, and immunoprecipitation. Immunostaining specificity was verified by displacement with either immunizing or irrelevant peptide. Dual immunostaining with GAD isoform-specific antibodies and polyclonal antibodies to glucagon showed that GAD65 was primarily detected in rat pancreatic islet beta-cells, whereas alpha-cells had weak GAD65 staining. In contrast, GAD67 was detected primarily in alpha-cells. In rat brain, GAD65 and GAD67 were present in neuron cell bodies and processes. These data demonstrate that antibodies raised against the N-terminus of GAD allow differential immunocytochemical identification of GAD67 and GAD65. Differential expression of GAD isoforms within islet alpha- and beta-cells supports the role of GAD65 in autoimmune diabetes and stiff-man syndrome.

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