Insulin hypersecretion in islets from diet-induced hyperinsulinemic obese female mice is associated with several functional adaptations in individual β-cells

Endocrinology. 2013 Oct;154(10):3515-24. doi: 10.1210/en.2013-1424. Epub 2013 Jul 18.

Abstract

Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are generally associated with obesity. Obese nondiabetic individuals develop a compensatory β-cell response to adjust insulin levels to the increased demand, maintaining euglycemia. Although several studies indicate that this compensation relies on structural changes, the existence of β-cell functional adaptations is incompletely understood. Here, we fed female mice with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. These animals became obese, hyperinsulinemic, insulin-resistant, and mildly glucose-intolerant while fed, and fasting glycemia was comparable in HFD and control mice. Islets from HFD animals exhibited increased β-cell mass and hypertrophy. Additionally, they had enhanced insulin gene expression and content and augmented glucose-induced insulin secretion. Electrophysiological examination of β-cells from both groups showed no differences in KATP channel open probability and conductance. However, action potentials elicited by glucose had larger amplitude in obese mice. Glucose-induced Ca²⁺ signals in intact islets, in isolated β-cells, and individual β-cells within islets were also increased in HFD mice. Additionally, a higher proportion of glucose-responsive cells was present in obese mice. In contrast, whole-cell Ca²⁺ current densities were similar in both groups. Capacitance measurements showed that depolarization-evoked exocytosis was enhanced in HFD β-cells compared with controls. Although this augment was not significant when capacitance increases of the whole β-cell population were normalized to cell size, the exocytotic output varied significantly when β-cells were distributed by size ranges. All these findings indicate that β-cell functional adaptations are present in the islet compensatory response to obesity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials
  • Allostasis*
  • Animals
  • Calcium Signaling
  • Cell Size
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Diet, High-Fat / adverse effects
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Exocytosis
  • Female
  • Glucose Intolerance / etiology
  • Hyperinsulinism / blood
  • Hyperinsulinism / etiology
  • Hyperinsulinism / metabolism*
  • Hyperinsulinism / pathology
  • Hypertrophy
  • Insulin / blood
  • Insulin / genetics
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Insulin Secretion
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / metabolism*
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / pathology
  • Islets of Langerhans / metabolism*
  • Islets of Langerhans / pathology
  • KATP Channels / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Obesity / etiology
  • Obesity / physiopathology*
  • Up-Regulation*

Substances

  • Insulin
  • KATP Channels