Glucocorticoids Inhibit Basal and Hormone-Induced Serotonin Synthesis in Pancreatic Beta Cells

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 22;11(2):e0149343. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149343. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Diabetes is a major complication of chronic Glucocorticoids (GCs) treatment. GCs induce insulin resistance and also inhibit insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. Yet, a full understanding of this negative regulation remains to be deciphered. In the present study, we investigated whether GCs could inhibit serotonin synthesis in beta cell since this neurotransmitter has been shown to be involved in the regulation of insulin secretion. To this aim, serotonin synthesis was evaluated in vitro after treatment with GCs of either islets from CD1 mice or MIN6 cells, a beta-cell line. We also explored the effect of GCs on the stimulation of serotonin synthesis by several hormones such as prolactin and GLP 1. We finally studied this regulation in islet in two in vivo models: mice treated with GCs and with liraglutide, a GLP1 analog, and mice deleted for the glucocorticoid receptor in the pancreas. We showed in isolated islets and MIN6 cells that GCs decreased expression and activity of the two key enzymes of serotonin synthesis, Tryptophan Hydroxylase 1 (Tph1) and 2 (Tph2), leading to reduced serotonin contents. GCs also blocked the induction of serotonin synthesis by prolactin or by a previously unknown serotonin activator, the GLP-1 analog exendin-4. In vivo, activation of the Glucagon-like-Peptide-1 receptor with liraglutide during 4 weeks increased islet serotonin contents and GCs treatment prevented this increase. Finally, islets from mice deleted for the GR in the pancreas displayed an increased expression of Tph1 and Tph2 and a strong increased serotonin content per islet. In conclusion, our results demonstrate an original inhibition of serotonin synthesis by GCs, both in basal condition and after stimulation by prolactin or activators of the GLP-1 receptor. This regulation may contribute to the deleterious effects of GCs on beta cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Exenatide
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / analogs & derivatives
  • Glucocorticoids / pharmacology*
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / drug effects*
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • Prolactin / pharmacology
  • Serotonin / metabolism*
  • Tryptophan Hydroxylase / metabolism
  • Venoms / pharmacology

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Peptides
  • Venoms
  • Serotonin
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1
  • Prolactin
  • Exenatide
  • Tryptophan Hydroxylase

Grants and funding

Supports for these studies were provided by Inserm (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale), CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (Equipe FRM DEQ20140329504), the European Union (FP5 Nutrix QLK1-CT-2000-00083 and FP6 Earnest Food-CT-2005-007036 programs), the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (Grant Gramsy N° A05245DS), Société Francophone du Diabète (SFD) and Lilly to JP Riveline, European Association for the Study on Diabetes (EASD) to B Bréant, and Institut Benjamin Delessert to B Blondeau. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.