Morphological Changes in Pancreatic Islets of KATP Channel-Deficient Mice. The Involvement of KATP Channels in the Survival of Insulin Cells and the Maintenance of Islet Architecture.

Abstract

The ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP channel) is an essential ion channel involved in glucose-induced insulin secretion. The KATP channel is composed of an inwardly rectifying potassium channel, Kir6.2, and the sulfonylurea receptor (SUR 1); in the pancreas it is reported to be shared by all endocrine cell types. A previous study by our research group showed that Kir 6.2-knockout mice lacked KATP channel activities and failed to secrete insulin in response to glucose, but displayed normal blood glucose levels and only mild impairment in glucose tolerance at younger ages. In some aged knockout mice, however, obesity and hyperglycemia were recognizable. The present study aimed to reveal morphological changes in pancreatic islets of Kir 6.2-knockout mice throughout life. At birth, there were no significant differences in the islet cell arrangement between the knockout mice and controls. At 14 postnatal weeks glucagon cells appeared in the central parts of islets, and this image became more pronounced with aging. In animals older than 50 weeks insulin cells decreased in numbers and intensity of insulin immunoreactivity; most islets in 70- and 80-week-old mice were predominantly composed of glucagon cells and peptide YY (PYY)-containing cells. Staining of serial sections and double staining of single sections from these old mice demonstrated the frequent coexpression of glucagon and PYY, which is a phenotype for the earliest progenitor cells of pancreatic endocrine cells. These findings suggest that the KATP channel is important for insulin cell survival and also regulates the differentiation of islet cells.

Physiological and Pathophysiological Control of Glucagon Secretion by Pancreatic α-Cells

“…The distribution of α-cells can be very different in some transgenic mice. For instance, α-cells are frequently located in central regions of islets in K ATPdeficient mouse models, such as SUR1 (Marhfour et al 2009) or Kir6.2 knockout mice (Seino et al 2000;Winarto et al 2001) or in mice completely or partially deficient in specific adhesion molecule (Esni et al 1999). The reasons for this altered distribution are unknown.…”

Clinical and genetic heterogeneity in congenital hyperinsulinism

“…Overexpression of a mutant Kir6.2 which disrupts K ATP channel activity resulted in hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in the neonatal period, but later on, was followed by diabetes associated with loss of b-cells [80]. Kir6.2 knock-out mice indeed showed a reduction of insulin-secreting cells throughout their life and an increase in glucagon cells [129].…”

Chronic β-Cell Depolarization Impairs β-Cell Identity by Disrupting a Network of Ca2+-Regulated Genes

“…However, chronically elevated [Ca 2+ ] i can also induce maladaptive responses because prevention of Ca 2+ influx in the setting of insulin resistance prevents β-cell death (13). In either case, mice lacking K ATP channels exhibit disrupted islet morphology, characterized by α-cells being located in the islet core (14,15), suggesting loss of β-cell identity or impairments in cell adhesion.…”