Objective
Elevations in pancreatic α-cell intracellular Ca
2+
([Ca
2+
]
i
) lead to glucagon (GCG) secretion. Although glucose inhibits GCG secretion, how lactate and pyruvate control α-cell Ca
2+
handling is unknown. Lactate enters cells through monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) and is also produced during glycolysis by lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), an enzyme expressed in α-cells. As lactate activates ATP-sensitive K
+
(K
ATP
) channels in cardiomyocytes, lactate may also modulate α-cell K
ATP
. Therefore, this study investigated how lactate signaling controls α-cell Ca
2+
handling and GCG secretion.
Methods
Mouse and human islets were used in combination with confocal microscopy, electrophysiology, GCG immunoassays, and fluorescent thallium flux assays to assess α-cell Ca
2+
handling,
V
m
, K
ATP
currents, and GCG secretion.
Results
Lactate-inhibited mouse (75 ± 25%) and human (47 ± 9%) α-cell [Ca
2+
]
i
fluctuations only under low-glucose conditions (1 mM) but had no effect on β- or δ-cells [Ca
2+
]
i
. Glyburide inhibition of K
ATP
channels restored α-cell [Ca
2+
]
i
fluctuations in the presence of lactate. Lactate transport into α-cells via MCTs hyperpolarized mouse (14 ± 1 mV) and human (12 ± 1 mV) α-cell
V
m
and activated K
ATP
channels. Interestingly, pyruvate showed a similar K
ATP
activation profile and α-cell [Ca
2+
]
i
inhibition as lactate. Lactate-induced inhibition of α-cell [Ca
2+
]
i
influx resulted in reduced GCG secretion in mouse (62 ± 6%) and human (43 ± 13%) islets.
Conclusions
These data demonstrate for the first time that lactate entry into α-cells through MCTs results in K
ATP
activation,
V
m
hyperpolarization, reduced [Ca
2+
]
i
, and inhibition of GCG secretion. Thus, taken together, these data indicate that lactate either within α-cells and/or elevated in serum could serve as important modulators of α-cell function.