Effect of pioglitazone on the functional viability and apoptosis rate of culture murine pancreatic islets.

Author(s)

Cassio Negro Coimbra

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina (FM/SBD)
• Defense date: 2008-08-01

Examining board members

Maria Lucia Cardillo Correa Giannella; Antonio Carlos Boschero; Chin Jia Lin; Ileana Gabriela Sanchez de Rubio; Silvana Auxiliadora Bordin da Silva

• Advisor: Maria Lucia Cardillo Correa Giannella; Daniel Giannella Neto

Abstract

The progressive decrease in -cell mass observed during the evolution of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is believed to occur due to cell apoptosis. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), a class of agents used for the treatment T2DM, act as ligands of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) and and decrease peripheral insulin resistance. Although still controversial, some studies have shown a direct effect of TZDs on pancreatic -cell, preventing cell loss due to apoptosis and improving their viability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the direct effects of 10 M Pioglitazone (PIO) on functional viability and apoptosis rate of islets isolated from Wistar rats exposed to physiological (5.6 mM) and supraphysiological (23 mM) glucose concentrations during 24, 48 and 72 hours. The functional viability was evaluated by the analysis of insulin secretion after glucose challenge and of islet total insulin content. Apoptosis rate was evaluated by measurement of DNA fragmentation, of Bcl2 (antiapoptotic) and Bax (proapoptotic) mRNA expression and of proteolytic activity of caspase-3 in pancreatic islets treated or not with PIO. At 5.6 mM glucose concentration, no significant effects in insulin secretion were observed, while a transitory decrease (after 24 hours) followed by an increase in total insulin content was observed in islets treated with PIO for 48 and 72 hours. Regarding apoptosis, a lower expression of Bax mRNA was detected in islets treated with PIO for 24 hours, followed, however, by an increase in the expression of this gene after 48 and 72 hours of drug exposition. PIO treatment did not promote significant changes in Bcl2 mRNA expression, while decreased the apoptosis rate measured by DNA fragmentation only after 48 hours of exposition. At 23 mM glucose concentration, PIO treatment elicited a transitory increase in insulin secretion after glucose challenge and in islet total insulin content after 48 hours followed by a decrease in the islet total insulin content after 72 hours. Concerning apoptosis, PIO treatment determined an increase in the apoptose rate measured by DNA fragmentation and by proteolytic activity of caspase-3 after 48 and 72 hours and a decrease in Bcl2 mRNA expression after 24 and 48 hours. These findings suggest that the direct effects of PIO on pancreatic islets depend on glucose concentration to which they are exposed: while under physiological glucose concentration the direct effects seem to be beneficial, under supraphysiological glucose concentration, PIO exerts direct deleterious effects on the functional viability and on the apoptosis rate of murine pancreatic islets. (AU)