Nutrient toxicity in pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction

Nutrients, such as glucose and fatty acids, have a dual effect on pancreatic beta-cell function. Acute administration of high glucose concentrations to pancreatic beta-cells stimulates insulin secretion. In addition, short term exposure of this cell type to dietary fatty acids potentiates glucose-in...

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Published inJournal of physiology and biochemistry Vol. 56; no. 2; pp. 119 - 128
Main Authors Roche, E, Maestre, I, Martín, F, Fuentes, E, Casero, J, Reig, J A, Soria, B
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Spain 01.06.2000
Subjects
Animals
Apoptosis
Cells, Cultured
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - pathology
Fatty Acids - metabolism
Fatty Acids - toxicity
Gene Expression Regulation
Glucose - metabolism
Glucose - toxicity
Glycolysis
Humans
Insulin - genetics
Insulin - metabolism
Insulin Secretion
Islets of Langerhans - metabolism
Islets of Langerhans - physiology
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Summary:Nutrients, such as glucose and fatty acids, have a dual effect on pancreatic beta-cell function. Acute administration of high glucose concentrations to pancreatic beta-cells stimulates insulin secretion. In addition, short term exposure of this cell type to dietary fatty acids potentiates glucose-induced insulin release. On the other hand, long-term exposure to these nutrients causes impaired insulin secretion, characterized by elevated exocytosis at low concentrations of glucose and no response when glucose increases in the extracellular medium. In addition, other phenotypic changes are observed in these conditions. One major step in linking these phenotypic changes to the diabetic pathology has been the recognition of both glucose and fatty acids as key modulators of beta-cell gene expression. This could explain the adaptative response of the cell to sustained nutrient concentration. Once this phase is exhausted, the beta-cell becomes progressively unresponsive to glucose and this alteration is accompanied by the irreversible induction of apoptotic programs. The aim of this review is to present actual data concerning the development of the toxicity to the main nutrients glucose and fatty acids in the pancreatic beta-cell and to find a possible link to the development of type 2 diabetes.
ISSN:1138-7548
1877-8755
DOI:10.1007/BF03179907