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Antioxidant enzyme expression was determined in rat pancreatic islets and RINm5F insulin-producing cells on the level of mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity in comparison with 11 other rat tissues. Although superoxide dismutase expression was in the range of 30% of the liver values, the expression of the hydrogen peroxide-inactivating enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase was extremely low, in the range of 5% of the liver. Pancreatic islets but not RINm5F cells expressed an additional phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase that exerted protective effects against lipid peroxidation of the plasma membrane. Regression analysis for mRNA and protein expression and enzyme activities from 12 rat tissues revealed that the mRNA levels determine the enzyme activities of the tissues. The induction of cellular stress by high glucose, high oxygen, and heat shock treatment did not affect antioxidant enzyme expression in rat pancreatic islets or in RINm5F cells. Thus insulin-producing cells cannot adapt the low antioxidant enzyme activity levels to typical situations of cellular stress by an upregulation of gene expression. Through stable transfection, however, we were able to increase catalase and glutathione peroxidase gene expression in RINm5F cells, resulting in enzyme activities more than 100-fold higher than in nontransfected controls. Catalase-transfected RINm5F cells showed a 10-fold greater resistance toward hydrogen peroxide toxicity, whereas glutathione peroxidase overexpression was much less effective. Thus inactivation of hydrogen peroxide through catalase seems to be a step of critical importance for the removal of reactive oxygen species in insulin-producing cells. Overexpression of catalase may therefore be an effective means of preventing the toxic action of reactive oxygen species.

Our results are consistent with the central importance of selective uptake and alkylating activity in the mechanism of streptozotocin diabetogenicity. Alkylation of DNA leads to necrosis of pancreatic beta cells and thus to a state of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, well-known as streptozotocin diabetes in experimental diabetes research.

To determine the importance of different antioxidative enzymes for the defense status of insulin-producing cells, the effects of stable overexpression of glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), catalase (Cat), or Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) in insulin-producing RINm5F cells on the cytotoxicity of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase (H/XO), and menadione have been investigated. Single overexpression of Cat or Gpx provided less protection than the combined expression of Cat plus SOD or Cat plus Gpx, while single overexpression of SOD either had no effect on the toxicity of the test compounds or increased it. RINm5F cells were also susceptible to butylalloxan, a lipophilic alloxan derivative that is selectively toxic to pancreatic beta-cells. Overexpression of enzymes, both alone and in combination, did not protect against butylalloxan-induced toxicity while SOD overexpression increased it, as evident from a half maximally effective concentration (EC50) value. The addition of Cat to the culture medium completely prevented the toxic effects of H2O2 and H/XO but had no significant effect on the toxicity of menadione or butylalloxan. Extracellular SOD had no effect on the toxicity of any of the test compounds. The results of this study show the importance of a combination of antioxidant enzymes in protecting against the toxicity of reactive oxygen species. Thus, overexpression of Cat and Gpx, alone or in combination with SOD, by use of molecular biology techniques can protect insulin-producing cells against oxidative damage. This may represent a strategy to protect pancreatic beta-cells against destruction during the development of autoimmune diabetes and emphasizes the importance of optimal antioxidative enzyme equipment for protection against free radical-mediated diseases.