We have shown that nitric oxide treatment for 30-90 min causes inhibition of insulin secretion, DNA damage and disturbs sub-cellular organization in rat and human islets of Langerhans and HIT-T15 cells. Here rat islets and beta-cell lines were treated with various free radical generating systems S-nitrosoglutathione (nitric oxide), xanthine oxidase plus hypoxanthine (reactive oxygen species), 3-morpholinosydnonimine (nitric oxide, super-oxide, peroxynitrite, hydrogen peroxide) and peroxynitrite and their effects over 4 h to 3 days compared with those of the cytokine combination interleukin-1beta, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma. End points examined were de novo protein synthesis, cellular reducing capacity, morphological changes and apoptosis by acridine orange cytochemistry, DNA gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy. Treatment (24-72 h) with nitric oxide, superoxide, peroxynitrite or combined cytokines differentially decreased redox function and inhibited protein synthesis in rat islets of Langerhans and in insulin-containing cell lines; cytokine effects were arginine and nitric oxide dependent. Peroxynitrite gave rare apoptosis in HIT-T15 cells and superoxide gave none in any cell type, but caused the most beta cell-specific damage in islets. S-nitroso-glutathione was the most effective agent at causing DNA laddering or chromatin margination characteristic of apoptotic cell death in insulin-containing cells. Cytokine-induced apoptosis was observed specifically in islet beta cells, combined cytokine effects on islet function and death most resembled those of the mixed radical donor SIN-1.
The aim of this study was to examine if the growth factor, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1), could prevent induction of nitric oxide synthase and cytokine-mediated inhibitory effects in the insulin-containing, clonal beta cell line RINm5F. Treatment of RINm5F cells for 24 h with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) (100 pM) induced expression of nitric oxide synthase and inhibited glyceraldehyde-stimulated insulin secretion. Combinations of IL-1 beta (100 pM), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (100 pM) and interferon-gamma (100 pM) reduced RINm5F cell viability (determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) reduction assay) and de novo protein synthesis, as measured by incorporation of radiolabelled amino acids into perchloric acid-precipitable protein. Pretreatment of RINm5F cells with TGF beta 1 (10 pM) for 18 or 24 h, prior to the addition of either IL-1 beta or combined cytokines, prevented cytokine-induced inhibition of insulin secretion, protein synthesis and the loss of cell viability. TGF beta 1 pretreatment inhibited cytokine-induced expression and activity of nitric oxide synthase in RINm5F cells as determined by Western blotting and by cytosolic conversion of radiolabelled arginine into labelled citrulline and nitric oxide. Chemically generated superoxide also induced expression of nitric oxide synthase possibly due to direct activation of the nuclear transcription factor NF kappa B, an effect prevented by both an antioxidant and TGF beta 1 pretreatment. In conclusion, the mechanism of action of TGF beta 1 in blocking cytokine inhibitory effects was by preventing induction of nitric oxide synthase.
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