http://hdl.handle.net/2436/6291 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:15:13 GMT 2013-06-19T07:15:13Z http://hdl.handle.net/2436/113833 Title: Regulation of beta-cell viability and gene expression by distinct agonist fragments of adiponectin Authors: Brown, James E. P.; Conner, Alex C..; Digby, Janet E.; Ward, Kenya L.; Ramanjaneya, Manjunath; Randeva, Harpal S.; Dunmore, Simon J. Abstract: Obesity is an established risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Activation of the adiponectin receptors has a clear role in improving insulin resistance although conflicting evidence exists for its effects on pancreatic beta-cells. Previous reports have identified both adiponectin receptors (ADR-1 and ADR-2) in the betacell. Recent evidence has suggested that two distinct regions of the adiponectin molecule, the globular domain and a small N-terminal region, have agonist properties. This study investigates the effects of two agonist regions of adiponectin on insulin secretion, gene expression, cell viability and cell signalling in the rat beta-cell line BRIN-BD11, as well as investigating the expression levels of adiponectin receptors (ADRs) in these cells. Cells were treated with globular adiponectin and adiponectin (15-36)±leptin to investigate cell viability, expression of key beta-cell genes and ERK1/2 activation. Both globular adiponectin and adiponectin (15-36) caused significant ERK1/2 dependent increases in cell viability. Leptin co-incubation attenuated adiponectin (15-36) but not globular adiponectin induced cell viability. Globular adiponectin, but not adiponectin (15-36), caused a significant 450% increase in PDX-1 expression and a 45% decrease in LPL expression. ADR-1 was expressed at a higher level than ADR-2, and ADR mRNA levels were differentially regulated by non-esterified fatty acids and peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor agonists. These data provide evidence of roles for two distinct adiponectin agonist domains in the beta-cell and confirm the potentially important role of adiponectin receptor agonism in maintaining beta-cell mass. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2436/113833 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2436/113807 Title: Individualised assessment of response to clopidogrel in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes: a role for short thrombelastography? Authors: Cotton, James M.; Worrall, A. M.; Hobson, A. R.; Smallwood, A.; Amoah, V.; Dunmore, Simon J.; Nevill, Alan M.; Raghuraman, R. P.; Vickers, J.; Curzen, N. Abstract: INTRODUCTION: There is considerable interindividual variation in response to the antiplatelet agent clopidogrel. Hyporesponse predicts negative outcomes in patients presenting with a variety of ischemic cardiac conditions and following intracoronary stent placement. Many tests of clopidogrel activity are time consuming and complex. Short thromboelastography (s-TEG) allows rapid measurement of platelet clopidogrel response. AIMS: We initiated this study to investigate the utility of s-TEG in assessing the response to clopidogrel in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and to compare these results with established clopidogrel monitoring techniques. METHODS: Patients admitted with unstable angina (UA) or Non ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) undergoing coronary angiography were recruited. After routine loading with clopidogrel, all patients were tested with s-TEG and Accumetrics Verify-Now rapid platelet function analyzer (VN-RPFA). We used the modified TEG technique of measuring area under the curve at 15 min (AUC15), which allows a rapid estimation of antiplatelet response. Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation (VASP) was also tested in a subgroup of patients. Clinical follow-up was obtained at 1 year. s-TEG results were correlated with VN-RPFA and VASP findings. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients (33 male, mean age 63) were recruited and tested with s-TEG and VN-RPFA and a total of 39 patients were also assessed with VASP. s-TEG readings correlated well with VN-RPFA (r(2)= 0.54, P < 0.0001) and VASP (r(2)= 0.26, P= 0.001). CONCLUSION: s-TEG provides timely results which compare to current tests of clopidogrel activity. This technique can also be used to measure a variety of other clotting parameters and as such could develop into a valuable near patient test for the interventional cardiologist. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2436/113807 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2436/113828 Title: Visfatin regulates insulin secretion, insulin receptor signalling and mRNA expression of diabetes-related genes in mouse pancreatic beta-cells. Authors: Brown, James E. P.; Onyango, David J.; Ramanjaneya, Manjunath; Conner, Alex C.; Patel, Snehal T.; Dunmore, Simon J.; Randeva, Harpal S. Abstract: The role of the adipocyte-derived factor visfatin in metabolism remains controversial, although some pancreatic beta-cell-specific effects have been reported. This study investigated the effects of visfatin upon insulin secretion, insulin receptor activation and mRNA expression of key diabetes-related genes in clonal mouse pancreatic beta-cells. beta-TC6 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 and were subsequently treated with recombinant visfatin. One-hour static insulin secretion was measured by ELISA. Phospho-specific ELISA and western blotting were used to detect insulin receptor activation. Real-time SYBR Green PCR array technology was used to measure the expression of 84 diabetes-related genes in both treatment and control cells. Incubation with visfatin caused significant changes in the mRNA expression of several key diabetes-related genes, including marked up-regulation of insulin (9-fold increase), hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)1beta (32-fold increase), HNF4alpha (16-fold increase) and nuclear factor kappaB (40-fold increase). Significant down-regulation was seen in angiotensin-converting enzyme (-3.73-fold) and UCP2 (-1.3-fold). Visfatin also caused a significant 46% increase in insulin secretion compared to control (P<0.003) at low glucose, and this increase was blocked by co-incubation with the specific nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase inhibitor FK866. Both visfatin and nicotinamide mononucleotide induced activation of both insulin receptor and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, with visfatin-induced insulin receptor/ERK1/2 activation being inhibited by FK866. We conclude that visfatin can significantly regulate insulin secretion, insulin receptor phosphorylation and intracellular signalling and the expression of a number of beta-cell function-associated genes in mouse beta-cells. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2436/113828 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2436/113806 Title: Pseudoislets as primary islet replacements for research: Report on a symposium at King's College London, London UK Authors: Persaud, Shanta; Arden, Catherine; Bergsten, P.; Bone, Adrian J.; Brown, James; Dunmore, Simon J; Harrison, Moira; Hauge-Evans, Astrid; Kelly, Catriona; King, Aileen; Maffucci, Tania; Marriott, Claire E.; McClenaghan, Neville; Morgan, Noel G.; Reers, Christina; Russell, Mark A.; Turner, Mark D.; Willoughby, Emma; Younis, MustafaY.G.; Zhi, Z.L.; Jones, P.M. Abstract: Laboratory-based research aimed at understanding processes regulating insulin secretion and mechanisms underlying β-cell dysfunction and loss in diabetes often makes use of rodents, as these processes are in many respects similar between rats/mice and humans. Indeed, a rough calculation suggests that islets have been isolated from as many as 150,000 rodents to generate the data contained within papers published in 2009 and the first four months of 2010. Rodent use for islet isolation has been mitigated, to a certain extent, by the availability of a variety of insulin-secreting cell lines that are used by researchers world-wide. However, when maintained as monolayers the cell lines do not replicate the robust, sustained secretory responses of primary islets which limits their usefulness as islet surrogates. On the other hand, there have been several reports that configuration of MIN6 β-cells, derived from a mouse insulinoma, as three-dimensional cell clusters termed ‘pseudoislets’ largely recapitulates the function of primary islet β-cells. The Diabetes Research Group at King’s College London has been using the MIN6 pseudoislet model for over a decade and they hosted a symposium on “Pseudoislets as primary islet replacements for research”, which was funded by the UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), in London on 15th and 16th April 2010. This small, focused meeting was conceived as an opportunity to consolidate information on experiences of working with pseudoislets between different UK labs, and to introduce the theory and practice of pseudoislet culture to laboratories working with islets and/or β-cell lines but who do not currently use pseudoislets. This short review summarizes the background to the development of the cell line-derived pseudoislet model, the key messages arising from the symposium and emerging themes for future pseudoislet research Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2436/113806 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z