Metabolic overload by saturated fatty acids (SFA), which comprises β-cell function, and impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion are frequently observed in patients suffering from obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The increase of intracellular Ca2+ triggers insulin granule release, therefore several mechanisms regulate Ca2+ efflux within the β-cells, among others, the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA). In this work, we describe that lipotoxicity mediated mainly by the saturated palmitic acid (PA) (16C) is associated with loss of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) and potentially cell viability, a phenomenon that was induced to a lesser extent by stearic (18C), myristic (14C) and lauric (12C) acids. PA was localized on endoplasmic reticulum, activating arms of the unfolded protein response (UPR), as also promoted by lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-endotoxins. In particular, our findings demonstrate an alteration in PMCA1/4 expression caused by PA and LPS which trigger the UPR, affecting not only insulin release and contributing to β-cell mass reduction, but also increasing reactive nitrogen species. Nonetheless, stearic acid (SA) did not show these effects. Remarkably, the proteolytic degradation of PMCA1/4 prompted by PA and LPS was avoided by the action of monounsaturated fatty acids such as oleic and palmitoleic acid. Oleic acid recovered cell viability after treatment with PA/LPS and, more interestingly, relieved endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. While palmitoleic acid improved the insulin release, this fatty acid seems to have more relevant effects upon the expression of regulatory pumps of intracellular Ca2+. Therefore, chain length and unsaturation of fatty acids are determinant cues in proteostasis of β-cells and, consequently, on the regulation of calcium and insulin secretion.

The islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) or amylin maintains a key role in metabolism. This 37-residues-peptide could form pancreatic amyloids, which are a characteristic feature of diabetes mellitus type 2. However, some species do not form amyloid fibril structures. By employing a biomimetic approach, we generated an extensive panel of optimized sequences of IAPP, which could drastically reduce aggregation propensity. A structural and cellular characterization analysis was performed on the C-terminal domain with the highest aggregation propensity. This allowed the observation of an aggregative phenomenon dependent of the lipid environment. Evaluation of the new F23R variant demonstrated inhibition of β-sheet structure and, therefore, amyloid formation on the native C-terminal, phenomenon that was associated with functional optimization in calcium and cholesterol management coupled with the optimization of insulin secretion by beta cells. When F23R variant was evaluated in microglia cells, a model of amyloidosis, cytotoxic conditions were not registered. In addition, it was found that C-terminal sequences of IAPP could modulate cholesterol metabolism in hepatocytes through regulation of SREBP-2, apoA-1, ABCA1, and LDLR, mechanism that may represent a new function of IAPP on the metabolism of cholesterol, increasing the LDL endocytosis in hepatocytes. Optimized sequences with only one residue modification in the C-terminal core aggregation could diminish β-sheet formation and represent a novel strategy adaptable to other pharmacological targets. Our data suggest a new IAPP function associated with rearrangements on metabolism of cholesterol in hepatocytes.

Dyslipidemia is described as a hallmark of metabolic syndrome, promoting a stage of metabolic inflammation (metainflammation) that could lead to misbalances in energetic metabolism, contributing to insulin resistance, and modifying intracellular cholesterol pathways and the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) in pancreatic islets. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) hypercholesterolemia could disrupt the tissue communication between Langerhans β-cells and hepatocytes, wherein extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted by β-cells, and exposition to LDL can impair these phenomena. β-cells activate compensatory mechanisms to maintain insulin and metabolic homeostasis; therefore, the work aimed to characterize the impact of LDL on β-cell cholesterol metabolism and the implication on insulin secretion, connected with the regulation of cellular communication mediated by EVs on hepatocytes. Our results suggest that β-cells can endocytose LDL, promoting an increase in de novo cholesterol synthesis targets. Notably, LDL treatment increased mRNA levels and insulin secretion; this hyperinsulinism condition was associated with the transcription factor PDX-1. However, a compensatory response that maintains basal levels of intracellular calcium was described, mediated by the overexpression of calcium targets PMCA1/4, SERCA2, and NCX1, together with the upregulation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) through the activation of IRE1 and PERK arms to maintain protein homeostasis. The LDL treatment induced metainflammation by IL-6, NF-κB, and COX-2 overexpression. Furthermore, LDL endocytosis triggered an imbalance of the RAS components. LDL treatment increased the intracellular levels of cholesterol on lipid droplets; the adaptive β-cell response was portrayed by the overexpression of cholesterol transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1. Therefore, lipotoxicity and hyperinsulinism induced by LDL were regulated by the natural compound auraptene, a geranyloxyn coumarin modulator of cholesterol-esterification by ACAT1 enzyme inhibition. EVs isolated from β-cells impaired insulin signaling via mTOR/p70S6Kα in hepatocytes, a phenomenon regulated by auraptene. Our results show that LDL overload plays a novel role in hyperinsulinism, mechanisms associated with a dysregulation of intracellular cholesterol, lipotoxicity, and the adaptive UPR, which may be regulated by coumarin-auraptene; these conditions explain the affectations that occur during the initial stages of insulin resistance.