OBJECTIVE-Obestatin is a newly discovered peptide encoded by the ghrelin gene whose biological functions are poorly understood. We investigated obestatin effect on survival of ␤-cells and human pancreatic islets and the underlying signaling pathways. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-␤-Cells and humanislets were used to assess obestatin effect on cell proliferation, survival, apoptosis, intracellular signaling, and gene expression. RESULTS-Obestatinshowed specific binding on HIT-T15 and INS-1E ␤-cells, bound to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R), and recognized ghrelin binding sites. Obestatin exerted proliferative, survival, and antiapoptotic effects under serumdeprived conditions and interferon-␥/tumor necrosis factor-␣/ interleukin-1␤ treatment, particularly at pharmacological concentrations. Ghrelin receptor antagonist [D-Lys 3 ]-growth hormone releasing peptide-6 and anti-ghrelin antibody prevented obestatin-induced survival in ␤-cells and human islets. ␤-Cells and islet cells released obestatin, and addition of anti-obestatin antibody reduced their viability. Obestatin increased ␤-cell cAMP and activated extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase)/Akt; its antiapoptotic effect was blocked by inhibition of adenylyl cyclase/cAMP/ protein kinase A (PKA), PI 3-kinase/Akt, and ERK1/2 signaling. Moreover, obestatin upregulated GLP-1R mRNA and insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2) expression and phosphorylation. The GLP-1R antagonist exendin-(9-39) reduced obestatin effect on ␤-cell survival. In human islets, obestatin, whose immunoreactivity colocalized with that of ghrelin, promoted cell survival and blocked cytokine-induced apoptosis through cAMP increase and involvement of adenylyl cyclase/cAMP/PKA signaling. Moreover, obestatin 1) induced PI 3-kinase/Akt, ERK1/2, and also cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation; 2) stimulated insulin secretion and gene expression; and 3) upregulated GLP-1R, IRS-2, pancreatic and duodenal homeobox-1, and glucokinase mRNA. O bestatin is a 23-amino acid amidated peptide, recently identified as a product of the ghrelin gene (1). It was originally reported to be the ligand for the orphan receptor G-protein-coupled receptor 39 (GPR39); however, several groups were unable to confirm that obestatin has agonist properties on GPR39 or activates specific GPR39 signaling (2-6). Therefore, to date, the receptor for obestatin remains unknown. CONCLUSIONS-TheseObestatin has been reported to reduce food intake, body weight gain, gastric emptying, and jejunal motility (1,7,8). Moreover, it was found to counteract ghrelin stimulatory effects on these end points (1,9) and to inhibit ghrelininduced growth hormone secretion in vivo (9) but not in vitro (10), suggesting that it would serve as a physiological opponent of ghrelin. However, a number of studies failed to confirm obestatin anorexigenic effects (11-14), and besides not being the cognate ligand for GPR39, its biological actions seem to be a controversial issue.Obestatin ...

Among its pleiotropic actions, ghrelin modulates insulin secretion and glucose metabolism. Herein we investigated the role of ghrelin in pancreatic beta-cell proliferation and apoptosis induced by serum starvation or interferon (IFN)-gamma/TNF-alpha, whose synergism is a major cause for beta-cell destruction in type I diabetes. HIT-T15 beta-cells expressed ghrelin but not ghrelin receptor (GRLN-R), which binds acylated ghrelin (AG) only. However, both unacylated ghrelin (UAG) and AG recognized common high-affinity binding sites on these cells. Either AG or UAG stimulated cell proliferation through Galpha(s) protein and prevented serum starvation- and IFN-gamma/TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis. Antighrelin antibody enhanced apoptosis in either the presence or absence of serum but not cytokines. AG and UAG even up-regulated intracellular cAMP. Blockade of adenylyl cyclase/cAMP/protein kinase A signaling prevented the ghrelin cytoprotective effect. AG and UAG also activated phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and ERK1/2, whereas PI3K and MAPK inhibitors counteracted the ghrelin antiapoptotic effect. Furthermore, AG and UAG stimulated insulin secretion from HIT-T15 cells. In INS-1E beta-cells, which express GRLN-R, AG and UAG caused proliferation and protection against apoptosis through identical signaling pathways. Noteworthy, both peptides inhibited cytokine-induced NO increase in either HIT-T15 or INS-1E cells. Finally, they induced cell survival and protection against apoptosis in human islets of Langerhans. These expressed GRLN-R but showed also UAG and AG binding sites. Our data demonstrate that AG and UAG promote survival of both beta-cells and human islets. These effects are independent of GRLN-R, are likely mediated by AG/UAG binding sites, and involve cAMP/PKA, ERK1/2, and PI3K/Akt.

We investigated the capacity of human islets to produce monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Primary cultures of pancreatic islets expressed and secreted MCP-1, as determined by Northern blot, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The produced MCP-1 was biologically active as it attracted monocytes in chemotaxis assay, and chemotactic activity was almost abrogated by a neutralizing anti-MCP-1 monoclonal antibody. Expression of MCP-1 was increased by primary inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1␤

OBJECTIVEAutoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, are thought to have a Th17-cell bias and/or a T-regulatory cell (Treg) defect. Understanding whether this is a hallmark of patients with type 1 diabetes is a crucial question that is still unsolved, largely due to the difficulties of accessing tissues targeted by the disease.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe phenotypically and functionally characterized Th17 cells and Tregs residing in the pancreatic-draining lymph nodes (PLNs) of 19 patients with type 1 diabetes and 63 nondiabetic donors and those circulating in the peripheral blood of 14 type 1 diabetic patients and 11 healthy subjects.RESULTSWe found upregulation of Th17 immunity and functional defects in CD4+CD25bright Tregs in the PLNs of type 1 diabetic subjects but not in their peripheral blood. In addition, the proinsulin-specific Treg-mediated control was altered in the PLNs of diabetic patients. The dysfunctional Tregs isolated from diabetic subjects did not contain contaminant effector T cells and were all epigenetically imprinted to be suppressive, as defined by analysis of the Treg-specific demethylated region within the forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) locus.CONCLUSIONSThese data provide evidence for an unbalanced immune status in the PLNs of type 1 diabetic subjects, and treatments restoring the immune homeostasis in the target organ of these patients represent a potential therapeutic strategy.

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance and inadequate insulin secretion. In the advanced stages of the disease, ␤-cell dysfunction worsens and insulin therapy may be necessary to achieve satisfactory metabolic control. Studies in autopsies found decreased ␤-cell mass in pancreas of people with type 2 diabetes. Apoptosis, a constitutive program of cell death modulated by the Bcl family genes, has been implicated in loss of ␤-cells in animal models of type 2 diabetes. In this study, we compared the effect of 5 days' culture in high glucose concentration (16.7 mmol/l) versus normal glucose levels (5.5 mmol/l) or hyperosmolar control (mannitol 11 mmol/l plus glucose 5 mmol/l) on the survival of human pancreatic islets. Apoptosis, analyzed by flow cytometry and electron and immunofluorescence microscopy, was increased in islets cultured in high glucose (HG5) as compared with normal glucose (NG5) or hyperosmolar control (NG5؉MAN5). We also analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting the expression of the Bcl family genes in human islets cultured in normal glucose or high glucose. The antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2 was unaffected by glucose change, whereas Bcl-xl was reduced upon treatment with HG5. On the other hand, proapoptotic genes Bad, Bid, and Bik were overexpressed in the islets maintained in HG5. To define the pancreatic localization of Bcl proteins, we performed confocal immunofluorescence analysis on human pancreas. Bad and Bid were specifically expressed in ␤-cells, and Bid was also expressed, although at low levels, in the exocrine pancreas. Bik and Bcl-xl were expressed in other endocrine islet cells as well as in the exocrine pancreas. These data suggest that in human islets, high glucose may modulate the balance of proapoptotic and antiapoptotic Bcl proteins toward apoptosis, thus favoring ␤-cell death.