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The endocrine cells in the pancreatic islet have cellular communication between the heterotypic cells as well as the homotypic cells. The present study was conducted to elucidate the cellular interaction between pancreatic alpha cells and beta cells utilizing differentiated mouse cell lines (i.e., alphaTC clone 6 and betaTC cells). Co-culture of these two cell lines on a gyratory shaker generated numerous cellular aggregates of homogenous size within 48 h. Immunohistochemical staining for insulin and glucagon demonstrated that betaTC cells were located in the central core of each aggregate, while alphaTC cells formed a mantle layer surrounding the betaTC cells. This segregation was observed regardless of the ratios of the two cell types employed. Although glucagon at concentrations of 10(-8) M or higher stimulated insulin secretion from betaTC cells in both monolayer and aggregates, an increase in the ratio of alphaTC/betaTC cells in aggregate cultures was accompanied by a decrease in secreted insulin and a rise in intracellular insulin content of the betaTC component. The inhibitory effect of alphaTC cells on betaTC insulin secretion was not limited to aggregate culture, since insulin secretion from betaTC cells was also suppressed, and intracellular insulin content increased, by co-culture of alphaTC with betaTC cells in monolayer. On the other hand, the secreted and intracellular insulin of betaTC cells was not affected by alphaTC cells in a Transwell co-culture system in which direct cell-to-cell contacts were prevented by a semipermeable membrane that permitted chemical communication via medium metabolites. These data suggest that the insulin secretion from betaTC cells may be inhibited possibly as a result of the contact with alphaTC cells.

Insulin is synthesized in the pancreatic beta cell as a larger precursor molecule proinsulin which is processed to insulin by the combined action of prohormone convertase 2 (PC2), prohormone convertase 3 (PC3) and carboxypeptidase E (CPE) [1±4]. Proinsulin has about 10 % of the potency of insulin and its conversion to insulin is necessary for full biological activity. Recent studies have shown that human proinsulin is first cleaved by PC3 to form 32±33 split proinsulin followed by the rapid removal of Arg31Arg32 by CPE to generate des 31, 32 proinsulin, and subsequent processing of this intermediate product by PC2 and CPE generates insulin and C-peptide [5].Elevated proinsulin level and/or proinsulin/insulin molar ratio is often observed in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) subjects [6±8]. Recent studies suggest that mutations in PC2, PC3 and/ or CPE might be responsible for the hyperproinsu- Diabetologia (1998) Organization of the human carboxypeptidase E gene and molecular scanning for mutations in Japanese subjects with NIDDM or obesity N. Utsunomiya, S. Ohagi, T. Sanke, H. Tatsuta, T. Hanabusa, K. NanjoThe First Department of Medicine, Wakayama University of Medical Science, Wakayama, JapanSummary Insulin is synthesized in the pancreatic beta cell as a larger precursor molecule proinsulin which is converted to insulin and C-peptide by the concerted action of prohormone convertase 2 (PC2), prohormone convertase 3 (PC3) and carboxypeptidase E (CPE). One of the features of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is an elevation in the proinsulin level and/or proinsulin/insulin molar ratio suggesting that mutations in these three proinsulin processing enzymes might contribute to the development of NIDDM. The identification of a mutation in the CPE gene of the fat/fat mouse which leads to marked hyperproinsulinaemia and late-onset obesity and diabetes is consistent with a possible role for mutations in CPE in the development of diabetes and obesity in humans. In order to test this hypothesis, we have isolated and characterized the human CPE gene and screened it for mutations in a group of Japanese subjects with NIDDM and obesity. The human CPE gene consists of 9 exons spanning more than 60 kb. Primer extension analysis identified the transcriptional start site at ±141 bp from the translational start site. Single strand conformational polymorphism analysis and nucleotide sequencing of the promoter and entire coding region of the CPE gene in 269 Japanese subjects with NIDDM, 28 nondiabetic obese subjects and 104 nonobese and nondiabetic controls revealed three nucleotide changes, a G-to-T substitution at nucleotide ±53, a G-to-A substitution at nucleotide ±144 (relative to start of transcription) in the promoter region and a silent G-to-A substitution in codon 219. None of the nucleotide substitutions were associated with NIDDM or obesity. Thus, genetic variation in the CPE gene does not appear to play a major role in the pathogenesis of NIDDM or obesity in Japanese subjects. [Diabetologia (...

We have studied early transmembrane events in mouse alloimmune cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (

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Using Ia antigen-containing lipid vesicles, we investigated by stopped-flow fluorometry the requirements for helper T cell recognition and activation. When azobenzenearsonate-L-tyrosine (ABA-L-Tyr)-specific, I-Ak-restricted helper T cell hybridomas 2-45-12 were mixed with ABA-L-Tyr and purified I-Ak molecules on lipid vesicles, an increase of intercellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) in the T cells were detected within 1-2s. The average increases of [Ca2+]i were not much different when the lipid vesicles were composed of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine or of egg phosphatidylcholine, but they were dependent on the density of I-Ak molecules on the liposomes. The increase of [Ca2+]i was inhibited in the presence of anti-I-Ak monoclonal antibody 10.2.16, but not by the addition of anti-L3T4 monoclonal antibody GK1.5. However, the addition of anti-L3T4 antibody during the first 3 h of cultivation completely inhibited the T cell activation [interleukin (IL-2) production]. In our experimental system, IL-2 production was observed either when L3T4-positive T cell hybridomas 2-45-12 were stimulated with ABA-L-Tyr and Ia molecules on the vesicles in the presence of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, or when L3T4-negative T cell hybridomas 3H60.12 were incubated with ABA-L-Tyr and Ia molecules on the planar membranes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Early transmembrane events of tumour cells (mouse myeloma X5563 and lymphoma RDM4) after binding of a monoclonal antibody against mouse MHC antigen and a mitogenic lectin, Con A, were examined by stopped-flow fluorometry with 3 different fluorescent probes. The results showed that membrane fluidities of the cells increased first after binding of anti H-2Kk monoclonal antibody (1 l-4. l), then calcium was released from intracellular stores into the cytoplasma, and lastly calcium influx occurred from the external medium into the cytoplasma. While Con A only induced calcium influx from the external medium into the cytoplasma.