It was evidenced that saturated fatty acids (FAs) have a detrimental effect on pancreatic β-cells function and survival, leading to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium release, ER stress, and apoptosis. In the present study, we have tested the effect of three calcium influx inhibitors, i.e., diazoxide, nifedipine, and verapamil, on the apoptosis-inducing effect of saturated stearic acid (SA) in the human pancreatic β-cell lines NES2Y and 1.1B4. We have demonstrated that the application of all three calcium influx inhibitors tested has no inhibitory effect on SA-induced ER stress and apoptosis in both tested cell lines. Moreover, these inhibitors have pro-apoptotic potential per se at higher concentrations. Interestingly, these findings are in contradiction with those obtained with rodent cell lines and islets. Thus our data obtained with human β-cell lines suggest that the prospective usage of calcium channel blockers for prevention and therapy of type 2 diabetes mellitus, developed with the contribution of the saturated FA-induced apoptosis of β-cells, seems rather unlikely.

• Keywords
• 1.1B4, Apoptosis, Calcium influx, Diazoxide, Fatty acids, NES2Y, Nifedipine, Pancreatic β-cells, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Verapamil,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Pancreatic β-cell failure and death contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. One of the main factors responsible for β-cell dysfunction and subsequent cell death is chronic exposure to increased concentrations of FAs (fatty acids). The effect of FAs seems to depend particularly on the degree of their saturation. Saturated FAs induce apoptosis in pancreatic β-cells, whereas unsaturated FAs are well tolerated and are even capable of inhibiting the pro-apoptotic effect of saturated FAs. Molecular mechanisms of apoptosis induction by saturated FAs in β-cells are not completely elucidated. Saturated FAs induce ER stress, which in turn leads to activation of all ER stress pathways. When ER stress is severe or prolonged, apoptosis is induced. The main mediator seems to be the CHOP transcription factor. Via regulation of expression/activity of pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members, and potentially also through the increase in ROS production, CHOP switches on the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis induction. ER stress signalling also possibly leads to autophagy signalling, which may activate caspase-8. Saturated FAs activate or inhibit various signalling pathways, i.e., p38 MAPK signalling, ERK signalling, ceramide signalling, Akt signalling and PKCδ signalling. This may lead to the activation of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, as well. Particularly, the inhibition of the pro-survival Akt signalling seems to play an important role. This inhibition may be mediated by multiple pathways (e.g., ER stress signalling, PKCδ and ceramide) and could also consequence in autophagy signalling. Experimental evidence indicates the involvement of certain miRNAs in mechanisms of FA-induced β-cell apoptosis, as well. In the rather rare situations when unsaturated FAs are also shown to be pro-apoptotic, the mechanisms mediating this effect in β-cells seem to be the same as for saturated FAs. To conclude, FA-induced apoptosis rather appears to be preceded by complex cross talks of multiple signalling pathways. Some of these pathways may be regulated by decreased membrane fluidity due to saturated FA incorporation. Few data are available concerning molecular mechanisms mediating the protective effect of unsaturated FAs on the effect of saturated FAs. It seems that the main possible mechanism represents a rather inhibitory intervention into saturated FA-induced pro-apoptotic signalling than activation of some pro-survival signalling pathway(s) or metabolic interference in β-cells. This inhibitory intervention may be due to an increase of membrane fluidity.

• Keywords
• ER stress, apoptosis induction, autophagy, caspase, fatty acid metabolism, kinase, pancreatic β-cell, saturated fatty acid, type 2 diabetes mellitus, unsaturated fatty acid,
• MeSH
• Apoptosis * genetics   MeSH
• Insulin-Secreting Cells metabolism   MeSH
• Models, Biological MeSH
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 etiology   metabolism   MeSH
• Endoplasmic Reticulum metabolism   MeSH
• Stress, Physiological MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Fatty Acids metabolism   MeSH
• Lipid Metabolism MeSH
• Mitochondria genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Signal Transduction MeSH
• Cell Survival genetics   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Fatty Acids MeSH

Many compounds have the potential to harm pancreatic beta-cells; organochlorine pollutants belong to those compounds. In this work, we aimed to find markers of acute toxicity of p,p'-DDT exposure among proteins expressed in NES2Y human pancreatic beta-cells employing 2-D electrophoresis. We exposed NES2Y cells to a high concentration (150 μM, LC96 after 72 hours) of p,p'-DDT for 24 and 30 hours and determined proteins with changed expression using 2-D electrophoresis. We have found 22 proteins that changed their expression. They included proteins involved in ER stress (GRP78, and endoplasmin), mitochondrial proteins (GRP75, ECHM, IDH3A, NDUS1, and NDUS3), proteins involved in the maintenance of the cell morphology (EFHD2, TCPA, NDRG1, and ezrin), and some other proteins (HNRPF, HNRH1, K2C8, vimentin, PBDC1, EF2, PCNA, biliverdin reductase, G3BP1, FRIL, and HSP27). The proteins we have identified may serve as indicators of p,p'-DDT toxicity in beta-cells in future studies, including long-term exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations.

• MeSH
• Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional MeSH
• Insulin-Secreting Cells cytology   drug effects   metabolism   MeSH
• Biomarkers metabolism   MeSH
• Cell Line MeSH
• Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP MeSH
• DDT toxicity   MeSH
• Mass Spectrometry MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Proteomics methods   MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation drug effects   MeSH
• Cell Survival drug effects   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Biomarkers MeSH
• Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP MeSH
• DDT MeSH
• HSPA5 protein, human MeSH Browser

Saturated fatty acids (FAs) induce apoptosis in the human pancreatic NES2Y β-cell line while unsaturated FAs have nearly no detrimental effect. Moreover, unsaturated FAs are capable of inhibiting the pro-apoptotic effect of saturated FAs. Hypoxia is also known to have deleterious effects on β-cells function and viability. In the present study, we have tested the modulatory effect of hypoxia on the effect of FAs on the growth and viability of the human pancreatic NES2Y β-cells. This study represents the first study testing hypoxia effect on effects of FAs in pancreatic β-cells as well as in other cell types. We showed that hypoxia increased the pro-apoptotic effect of saturated stearic acid (SA). Endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling seemed to be involved while redistribution of FA transporters fatty acid translocase/cluster of differentiation 36 (FAT/CD36) and fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) do not seem to be involved in this effect. Hypoxia also strongly decreased the protective effect of unsaturated oleic acid (OA) against the pro-apoptotic effect of SA. Thus, in the presence of hypoxia, OA was unable to save SA-treated β-cells from apoptosis induction. Hypoxia itself had only a weak detrimental effect on NES2Y cells. Our data suggest that hypoxia could represent an important factor in pancreatic β-cell death induced and regulated by FAs and thus in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

• Keywords
• ER stress, NES2Y, apoptosis, caspases, fatty acid transporters, fatty acids, hypoxia, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, pancreatic β-cells,
• MeSH
• Insulin-Secreting Cells metabolism   MeSH
• Biomarkers MeSH
• Cell Line MeSH
• Hypoxia metabolism   MeSH
• Caspases metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Fatty Acids metabolism   MeSH
• Cell Proliferation MeSH
• Signal Transduction drug effects   MeSH
• Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress MeSH
• Cell Survival MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Biomarkers MeSH
• Caspases MeSH
• Fatty Acids MeSH

It has been shown that saturated fatty acids (FAs) have a detrimental effect on pancreatic β-cells function and survival, leading to apoptosis, whereas unsaturated FAs are well tolerated and are even capable of inhibiting the pro-apoptotic effect of saturated FAs. Molecular mechanisms of apoptosis induction and regulation by FAs in β-cells remain unclear; however, mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signaling pathways may be involved. In this study, we tested how unsaturated oleic acid (OA) affects the effect of saturated stearic acid (SA) on the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways as well as the ER stress signaling pathways during apoptosis induction in the human pancreatic β-cells NES2Y. We demonstrated that OA is able to inhibit all effects of SA. OA alone has only minimal or no effects on tested signaling in NES2Y cells. The point of OA inhibitory intervention in SA-induced apoptotic signaling thus seems to be located upstream of the discussed signaling pathways.

• Keywords
• NES2Y, apoptosis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), fatty acids, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), pancreatic β-cells,
• MeSH
• Apoptosis * MeSH
• Insulin-Secreting Cells cytology   metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Cell Line MeSH
• Oleic Acid metabolism   MeSH
• Stearic Acids metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• MAP Kinase Signaling System * MeSH
• p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases metabolism   MeSH
• Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Oleic Acid MeSH
• Stearic Acids MeSH
• p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases MeSH

Pancreatic β-cell failure and death is considered to be one of the main factors responsible for type 2 diabetes. It is caused by, in addition to hyperglycemia, chronic exposure to increased concentrations of fatty acids, mainly saturated fatty acids. Molecular mechanisms of apoptosis induction by saturated fatty acids in β-cells are not completely clear. It has been proposed that kinase signaling could be involved, particularly, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), protein kinase C (PKC), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and Akt kinases and their pathways. In this review, we discuss these kinases and their signaling pathways with respect to their possible role in apoptosis induction by saturated fatty acids in pancreatic β-cells.

• Keywords
• Akt, apoptosis, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), diabetes, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), fatty acids, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), pancreatic β-cell, protein kinase C (PKC),
• MeSH
• Apoptosis MeSH
• Insulin-Secreting Cells physiology   MeSH
• JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• MAP Kinase Signaling System * MeSH
• Fatty Acids metabolism   MeSH
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 metabolism   MeSH
• p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases metabolism   MeSH
• Protein Kinase C metabolism   MeSH
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt metabolism   MeSH
• Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases MeSH
• Fatty Acids MeSH
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 MeSH
• p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases MeSH
• Protein Kinase C MeSH
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt MeSH

Saturated stearic acid (SA) induces apoptosis in the human pancreatic β-cells NES2Y. However, the molecular mechanisms involved are unclear. We showed that apoptosis-inducing concentrations of SA activate the p38 MAPK signaling pathway in these cells. Therefore, we tested the role of p38 MAPK signaling pathway activation in apoptosis induction by SA in NES2Y cells. Crosstalk between p38 MAPK pathway activation and accompanying ERK pathway inhibition after SA application was also tested. The inhibition of p38 MAPK expression by siRNA silencing resulted in a decrease in MAPKAPK-2 activation after SA application, but it had no significant effect on cell viability or the level of phosphorylated ERK pathway members. The inhibition of p38 MAPK activity by the specific inhibitor SB202190 resulted in inhibition of MAPKAPK-2 activation and noticeable activation of ERK pathway members after SA treatment but in no significant effect on cell viability. p38 MAPK overexpression by plasmid transfection produced an increase in MAPKAPK-2 activation after SA exposure but no significant influence on cell viability or ERK pathway activation. The activation of p38 MAPK by the specific activator anisomycin resulted in significant activation of MAPKAPK-2. Concerning the effect on cell viability, application of the activator led to apoptosis induction similar to application of SA (PARP cleavage and caspase-7, -8, and -9 activation) and in inhibition of ERK pathway members. We demonstrated that apoptosis-inducing concentrations of SA activate the p38 MAPK signaling pathway and that this activation could be involved in apoptosis induction by SA in the human pancreatic β-cells NES2Y. However, this involvement does not seem to play a key role. Crosstalk between p38 MAPK pathway activation and ERK pathway inhibition in NES2Y cells seems likely. Thus, the ERK pathway inhibition by p38 MAPK activation does not also seem to be essential for SA-induced apoptosis.

• Keywords
• ERK, NES2Y, apoptosis, fatty acids, p38 MAPK, pancreatic β-cells,
• MeSH
• Enzyme Activation MeSH
• Apoptosis * drug effects   MeSH
• Insulin-Secreting Cells drug effects   metabolism   MeSH
• Cell Line MeSH
• Gene Expression MeSH
• Protein Kinase Inhibitors pharmacology   MeSH
• Stearic Acids pharmacology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• MAP Kinase Signaling System drug effects   MeSH
• Fatty Acids metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases antagonists & inhibitors   metabolism   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Protein Kinase Inhibitors MeSH
• Stearic Acids MeSH
• Fatty Acids MeSH
• p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases MeSH
• stearic acid MeSH Browser

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial damage occurs in the acute phase of critical illness, followed by activation of mitochondrial biogenesis in survivors. It has been hypothesized that bioenergetics failure of skeletal muscle may contribute to the development of ICU-acquired weakness. The aim of the present study was to determine whether mitochondrial dysfunction persists until protracted phase of critical illness. METHODS: In this single-centre controlled-cohort ex vivo proof-of-concept pilot study, we obtained vastus lateralis biopsies from ventilated patients with ICU-acquired weakness (n = 8) and from age and sex-matched metabolically healthy controls (n = 8). Mitochondrial functional indices were measured in cytosolic context by high-resolution respirometry in tissue homogenates, activities of respiratory complexes by spectrophotometry and individual functional capacities were correlated with concentrations of electron transport chain key subunits from respiratory complexes II, III, IV and V measured by western blot. RESULTS: The ability of aerobic ATP synthesis (OXPHOS) was reduced to ~54% in ICU patients (p<0.01), in correlation with the depletion of complexes III (~38% of control, p = 0.02) and IV (~26% of controls, p<0.01) and without signs of mitochondrial uncoupling. When mitochondrial functional indices were adjusted to citrate synthase activity, OXPHOS and the activity of complexes I and IV were not different, whilst the activities of complexes II and III were increased in ICU patients 3-fold (p<0.01) respectively 2-fold (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to healthy controls, in ICU patients we have demonstrated a ~50% reduction of the ability of skeletal muscle to synthetize ATP in mitochondria. We found a depletion of complex III and IV concentrations and relative increases in functional capacities of complex II and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase/complex III.

• MeSH
• Adenosine Triphosphate metabolism   physiology   MeSH
• Organelle Biogenesis MeSH
• Quadriceps Muscle metabolism   MeSH
• Energy Metabolism physiology   MeSH
• Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase metabolism   MeSH
• Intensive Care Units MeSH
• Cohort Studies MeSH
• Muscle, Skeletal metabolism   MeSH
• Critical Illness MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mitochondria metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Oxidative Stress physiology   MeSH
• Pilot Projects MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Muscle Weakness etiology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Adenosine Triphosphate MeSH
• Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase MeSH