| First Author | Le Marchand SJ | Year | 2010 |
| Journal | J Biol Chem | Volume | 285 |
| Issue | 19 | Pages | 14389-98 |
| PubMed ID | 20231269 | Mgi Jnum | J:237971 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5817570 | Doi | 10.1074/jbc.M109.069195 |
| Citation | Le Marchand SJ, et al. (2010) Glucose suppression of glucagon secretion: metabolic and calcium responses from alpha-cells in intact mouse pancreatic islets. J Biol Chem 285(19):14389-98 |
| abstractText | Glucagon is released from alpha-cells present in intact pancreatic islets at glucose concentrations below 4 mm, whereas higher glucose levels inhibit its secretion. The mechanisms underlying the suppression of alpha-cell secretory activity are poorly understood, but two general types of models have been proposed as follows: direct inhibition by glucose or paracrine inhibition from non-alpha-cells within the islet of Langerhans. To identify alpha-cells for analysis, we utilized transgenic mice expressing fluorescent proteins targeted specifically to these cells. Measurements of glucagon secretion from pure populations of flow-sorted alpha-cells show that contrary to its effect on intact islets, glucose does stimulate glucagon secretion from isolated alpha-cells. This observation argues against a direct inhibition of glucagon secretion by glucose and supports the paracrine inhibition model. Imaging of cellular metabolism by two-photon excitation of NAD(P)H autofluorescence indicates that glucose is metabolized in alpha-cells and that glucokinase is the likely rate-limiting step in this process. Imaging calcium dynamics of alpha-cells in intact islets reveals that inhibiting concentrations of glucose increase the intracellular calcium concentration and the frequency of alpha-cell calcium oscillations. Application of candidate paracrine inhibitors leads to reduced glucagon secretion but did not decrease the alpha-cell calcium activity. Taken together, the data suggest that suppression occurs downstream from alpha-cell calcium signaling, presumably at the level of vesicle trafficking or exocytotic machinery. |
