Insulin sensor cells for the analysis of insulin secretion responses in single living pancreatic β cells

Analyst. 2019 Jun 21;144(12):3765-3772. doi: 10.1039/c9an00405j. Epub 2019 May 15.

Abstract

Investigation of the functions of insulin-secreting cells in response to glucose in single-living cells is essential for improving our knowledge on the pathogenesis of diabetes. Therefore, it is desired to develop a new convenient method that enables the direct detection of insulin secreted from single-living cells. Here, insulin-sensor-cells expressing a protein-based insulin-detecting probe immobilized on the extracellular membrane were developed to evaluate the insulin-secretion response in single-living pancreatic β cells. The protein-based insulin-detecting probe (NαLY) was composed of a bioluminescent protein (nano-luc), the αCT segment of the insulin receptor, L1 and CR domains of the insulin receptor, and a fluorescent protein (YPet). NαLY exhibited a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) signal in response to insulin; thus, cells of Hepa1-6 line were genetically engineered to express NαLY on the extracellular membrane. The cells were found to act as insulin-sensor-cells, exhibiting a BRET signal in response to insulin. When the insulin-sensor-cells and pancreatic β cells (MIN6 cell line) were cocultured and stimulated with glucose, insulin-sensor-cells nearby pancreatic β cells showed the spike-shaped BRET signal response, whereas the insulin-sensor-cells close to one pancreatic β cell did not exhibit such signal response. However, all the insulin-sensor-cells showed a gradual increase in BRET signals, which were presumably attributed to the increase in insulin concentrations in the culture dish, confirming the function of these insulin-sensor-cells. Therefore, we demonstrated that heterogenetic insulin secretion in single-living pancreatic β cells could be measured directly using the insulin sensor cells.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer Techniques / methods*
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Coculture Techniques / methods
  • Fluorescence
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Insulin / analysis*
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / metabolism*
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Protein Engineering / methods
  • Receptor, Insulin / genetics
  • Receptor, Insulin / metabolism
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods*

Substances

  • Insulin
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Receptor, Insulin
  • Glucose