This form of xenotransplantation treatment has the potential for sustained benefit in human type 1 diabetics.

Genetic alterations in PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) signalling are common in cancer and include deletions in PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10), amplifications of PIK3CA and mutations in two distinct regions of the PIK3CA gene. This suggests drugs targeting PI3K, and p110α in particular, might be useful in treating cancers. Broad-spectrum inhibition of PI3K is effective in preventing growth factor signalling and tumour growth, but suitable inhibitors of p110α have not been available to study the effects of inhibiting this isoform alone. In the present study we characterize a novel small molecule, A66, showing the S-enantiomer to be a highly specific and selective p110α inhibitor. Using molecular modelling and biochemical studies, we explain the basis of this selectivity. Using a panel of isoform-selective inhibitors, we show that insulin signalling to Akt/PKB (protein kinase B) is attenuated by the additive effects of inhibiting p110α/p110β/p110δ in all cell lines tested. However, inhibition of p110α alone was sufficient to block insulin signalling to Akt/PKB in certain cell lines. The responsive cell lines all harboured H1047R mutations in PIK3CA and have high levels of p110α and class-Ia PI3K activity. This may explain the increased sensitivity of these cells to p110α inhibitors. We assessed the activation of Akt/PKB and tumour growth in xenograft models and found that tumours derived from two of the responsive cell lines were also responsive to A66 in vivo. These results show that inhibition of p110α alone has the potential to block growth factor signalling and reduce growth in a subset of tumours.

No abstract

Pancreatic islet beta-cells secrete the hormones insulin, amylin and pancreastatin. To search for further beta-cell hormones, we purified peptides from secretory granules isolated from cultured murine beta TC6-F7 beta-cells. We identified a 34-amino-acid peptide (3948 Da), corresponding to Asp(69)-Leu(102) of the proinsulin-like growth factor II E-peptide, which we have termed 'preptin'. Preptin, is present in islet beta-cells and undergoes glucose-mediated co-secretion with insulin. Synthetic preptin increases insulin secretion from glucose-stimulated beta TC6-F7 cells in a concentration-dependent and saturable manner. Preptin infusion into the isolated, perfused rat pancreas increases the second phase of glucose-mediated insulin secretion by 30%, while anti-preptin immunoglobulin infusion decreases the first and second phases of insulin secretion by 29 and 26% respectively. These findings suggest that preptin is a physiological amplifier of glucose-mediated insulin secretion.

Several hormones that regulate nutritional status also impact on bone metabolism. Preptin is a recently isolated 34-amino acid peptide hormone that is cosecreted with insulin and amylin from the pancreatic ␤-cells. Preptin corresponds to Asp 69 -Leu 102 of pro-IGF-II. Increased circulating levels of a pro-IGF-II peptide complexed with IGF-binding protein-2 have been implicated in the high bone mass phenotype observed in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. We have assessed preptin's activities on bone. Preptin dose-dependently stimulated the proliferation (cell number and DNA synthesis) of primary fetal rat osteoblasts and osteoblast-like cell lines at periphysiological concentrations (Ͼ10 Ϫ11 M). In addition, thymidine incorporation was stimulated in murine neonatal calvarial organ culture, likely reflecting the proliferation of cells from the osteoblast lineage. Preptin did not affect bone resorption in this model. Preptin induced phosphorylation of p42/p44 MAP kinases in osteoblastic cells in a dose-dependent manner (10 Ϫ8-10 Ϫ10 M), and its proliferative effects on primary osteoblasts were blocked by MAP kinase kinase inhibitors. Preptin also reduced osteoblast apoptosis induced by serum deprivation, reducing the number of apoptotic cells by Ͼ20%. In vivo administration of preptin increased bone area and mineralizing surface in adult mice. These data demonstrate that preptin, which is cosecreted from the pancreatic ␤-cell with amylin and insulin, is anabolic to bone and may contribute to the preservation of bone mass observed in hyperinsulinemic states such as obesity.osteoblast; bone-active hormone; bone anabolic THE MAINTENANCE OF THE MECHANICAL INTEGRITY of the skeleton depends on bone remodelling, the well-coordinated balance between bone formation by osteoblasts and bone resorption by osteoclasts. The coupled action of osteoblasts and osteoclasts is regulated by the action of many local and circulating hormones and factors. More recently, leptin-mediated central regulation of bone mass has been demonstrated (14). This appears to be mediated by a neurological rather than an endocrine mechanism (1). If there is uncoupling of the components of bone remodeling, such that bone resorption exceeds bone formation, bone loss occurs, leading to osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Current therapies for prevention of osteoporosis target osteoclastic bone resorption in the main, but these agents have limited ability to improve bone mass. There is great interest, therefore, in agents that may positively affect bone mass by stimulating bone formation.Recently, the importance of nutritional hormones in maintaining skeletal health has been recognized. This is reflected in the lower prevalence of osteoporosis in those with obesity. Thus hormones circulating at higher levels in obesity have received attention as potential anabolic agents in bone, including the products of pancreatic ␤-cells and of adipocytes. Obesity is associated with hyperinsulinemia, arising from resistance to the hypoglycemic effects of insu...

No abstract

Pancreatic islet β-cells secrete the hormones insulin, amylin and pancreastatin. To search for further β-cell hormones, we purified peptides from secretory granules isolated from cultured murine βTC6-F7 β-cells. We identified a 34-amino-acid peptide (3948Da), corresponding to Asp69–Leu102 of the proinsulin-like growth factor II E-peptide, which we have termed ‘preptin’. Preptin, is present in islet β-cells and undergoes glucose-mediated co-secretion with insulin. Synthetic preptin increases insulin secretion from glucose-stimulated βTC6-F7 cells in a concentration-dependent and saturable manner. Preptin infusion into the isolated, perfused rat pancreas increases the second phase of glucose-mediated insulin secretion by 30%, while anti-preptin immunoglobulin infusion decreases the first and second phases of insulin secretion by 29 and 26% respectively. These findings suggest that preptin is a physiological amplifier of glucose-mediated insulin secretion.

beta-Cell granules contain proteins involved in fuel regulation, which when altered, contribute to metabolic disorders including diabetes mellitus. We analyzed proteins present in purified granules from the INS-1E beta-cell model. Fifty-one component proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS including hormones, granins, protein processing components, cellular trafficking components, enzymes implicated in cellular metabolism and chaperone proteins. These findings may increase understanding of granule secretion and the processes leading to protein aggregation and beta-cell death in type-2 diabetes.