OBJECTIVEZinc ions are essential for the formation of hexameric insulin and hormone crystallization. A nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism rs13266634 in the SLC30A8 gene, encoding the secretory granule zinc transporter ZnT8, is associated with type 2 diabetes. We describe the effects of deleting the ZnT8 gene in mice and explore the action of the at-risk allele.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSSlc30a8 null mice were generated and backcrossed at least twice onto a C57BL/6J background. Glucose and insulin tolerance were measured by intraperitoneal injection or euglycemic clamp, respectively. Insulin secretion, electrophysiology, imaging, and the generation of adenoviruses encoding the low- (W325) or elevated- (R325) risk ZnT8 alleles were undertaken using standard protocols.RESULTSZnT8−/− mice displayed age-, sex-, and diet-dependent abnormalities in glucose tolerance, insulin secretion, and body weight. Islets isolated from null mice had reduced granule zinc content and showed age-dependent changes in granule morphology, with markedly fewer dense cores but more rod-like crystals. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, granule fusion, and insulin crystal dissolution, assessed by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, were unchanged or enhanced in ZnT8−/− islets. Insulin processing was normal. Molecular modeling revealed that residue-325 was located at the interface between ZnT8 monomers. Correspondingly, the R325 variant displayed lower apparent Zn2+ transport activity than W325 ZnT8 by fluorescence-based assay.CONCLUSIONSZnT8 is required for normal insulin crystallization and insulin release in vivo but not, remarkably, in vitro. Defects in the former processes in carriers of the R allele may increase type 2 diabetes risks.

Aims/hypothesis Zinc is highly concentrated in pancreatic beta cells, is critical for normal insulin storage, and may regulate glucagon secretion from alpha cells. ZnT8 is a zinc efflux transporter highly expressed in beta cells and polymorphisms in the ZnT8 (slc30a8) gene in man are associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Whilst global ZnT8 knockout (ZnT8KO) mice have been characterized, ZnT8 is also expressed in other islet cell types and extra-pancreatic tissues. Therefore, it is important to devise strategies to understand the role of ZnT8 in beta and alpha cells without the confounding effects of ZnT8 in these other tissues. Methods We have generated beta and alpha cell specific ZnT8 knockout (ZnT8BKO and ZnT8AKO) mice and performed in vivo and in vitro characterization of the phenotypes to determine the functional and anatomical impact of ZnT8 in these cells. Thus we assessed zinc accumulation, insulin granule morphology, insulin biosynthesis and secretion, and glucose homeostasis. Results ZnT8BKO mice are glucose intolerant, have reduced beta cell zinc accumulation and atypical insulin granules. They also display reduced first phase glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, reduced insulin processing enzyme transcripts and increased proinsulin levels. In contrast, ZnT8AKO mice show no evident abnormalities in plasma glucagon and glucose homeostasis. Conclusion/interpretation We provide the first report of specific beta and alpha cell deletion of ZnT8. Our data indicate that while ZnT8 is absolutely required for proper beta cell function, under the conditions studied, it is largely dispensable for alpha cell function.

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and insulin resistance are age-related conditions and increased prevalence is of public concern. Recent research has provided evidence that insulin resistance and impaired insulin signalling may be a contributory factor to the progression of diabetes, dementia, and other neurological disorders. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common subtype of dementia. Reduced release (for T2DM) and decreased action of insulin are central to the development and progression of both T2DM and AD. A literature search was conducted to identify molecular commonalities between obesity, diabetes, and AD. Insulin resistance affects many tissues and organs, either through impaired insulin signalling or through aberrant changes in both glucose and lipid (cholesterol and triacylglycerol) metabolism and concentrations in the blood. Although epidemiological and biological evidence has highlighted an increased incidence of cognitive decline and AD in patients with T2DM, the common molecular basis of cell and tissue dysfunction is rapidly gaining recognition. As a cause or consequence, the chronic inflammatory response and oxidative stress associated with T2DM, amyloid-β (Aβ) protein accumulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction link T2DM and AD.

Pten (phosphatase with tensin homology), a dual-specificity phosphatase, is a negative regulator of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. Pten regulates a vast array of biological functions including growth, metabolism, and longevity. Although the PI3K/Akt pathway is a key determinant of the insulin-dependent increase in glucose uptake into muscle and adipose cells, the contribution of this pathway in muscle to whole-body glucose homeostasis is unclear. Here we show that muscle-specific deletion of Pten protected mice from insulin resistance and diabetes caused by high-fat feeding. Deletion of muscle Pten resulted in enhanced insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake and Akt phosphorylation in soleus but, surprisingly, not in extensor digitorum longus muscle compared to littermate controls upon high-fat feeding, and these mice were spared from developing hyperinsulinemia and islet hyperplasia. Muscle Pten may be a potential target for treatment or prevention of insulin resistance and diabetes.

The functional impact of adiponectin on pancreatic beta cells is so far poorly understood. Although adiponectin receptors (AdipoR1/2) were identified, their involvement in adiponectininduced signaling and other molecules involved is not clearly defined. Therefore, we investigated the role of adiponectin in beta cells and the signaling mediators involved. MIN6 beta cells and mouse islets were stimulated with globular (2.5 g/ml) or full-length (5 g/ml) adiponectin under serum starvation, and cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, insulin gene expression, and secretion were measured. Lysates were subjected to Western blot analysis to determine phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Akt, or ERK. Functional significance of signaling was confirmed using dominant negative mutants or pharmacological inhibitors. Participation of AdipoRs was assessed by overexpression or siRNA. Adiponectin failed to activate AMPK after 10 min or 1-and 24-h stimulation. ERK was significantly phosphorylated after 24-h treatment with adiponectin, whereas Akt was activated at all time points examined. 24-h stimulation with adiponectin significantly increased cell viability by decreasing cellular apoptosis, and this was prevented by dominant negative Akt, wortmannin (PI3K inhibitor), and U0126 (MEK inhibitor). Moreover, adiponectin regulated insulin gene expression and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, which was also prevented by wortmannin and U0126 treatment. Interestingly, the data also suggest adiponectin-induced changes in Akt and ERK phosphorylation and caspase-3 may occur independent of the level of AdipoR expression. This study demonstrates a lack of AMPK involvement and implicates Akt and ERK in adiponectin signaling, leading to protection against apoptosis and stimulation of insulin gene expression and secretion in pancreatic beta cells.Type 2 diabetes is characterized by both a loss of insulin sensitivity and beta cell dysfunction in the pancreas. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived hormone that shows a strong negative correlation with insulin resistance and obesity (1, 2). Studies show that whereas adiponectin knock-out mice develop insulin resistance and glucose intolerance when challenged with a high fat diet, adiponectin-overexpressing mice are highly insulin-sensitive and are resistant to diet-induced diabetes (3-6). Adiponectin is reported to stimulate fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake and reduce gluconeogenesis in myocytes and hepatocytes, thus increasing peripheral insulin sensitivity (7). Reduced adiponectin levels are also correlated with reduced vascular function and an increase in coronary artery disease (8).Adiponectin forms trimers or higher order complexes including hexamers and oligomers (9). These higher order complexes of full-length adiponectin (fAd) 4 are the primary circulating forms, and localized proteolytic cleavage of fAd has been shown to produce globular adiponectin (gAd) (10). Two proposed homologous adiponectin receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2) were cloned and shown to be wi...