Poly-D-lysine hydrobromide

Insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells is important to maintain glucose homeostasis and is regulated by electrical activities. Uncarboxylated osteocalcin, a bone-derived protein, has been reported to regulate glucose metabolism by increasing insulin secretion, stimulating β cell proliferation and improving insulin sensitivity. But the underlying mechanisms of uncarboxylated osteocalcin-modulated insulin secretion remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the relationship of uncarboxylated osteocalcin-regulated insulin secretion and voltage-gated potassium (KV) channels, voltage-gated calcium channels in rat β cells. Insulin secretion was measured by radioimmunoassay. Channel currents and membrane action potentials were recorded using the conventional whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Calcium imaging system was used to analyze intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i). The data show that under 16.7mmol/l glucose conditions uncarboxylated osteocalcin alone increased insulin secretion and [Ca(2+)]i, but with no such effects on insulin secretion and [Ca(2+)]i in the presence of a KV channel blocker, tetraethylammonium chloride. In the patch-clamp experiments, uncarboxylated osteocalcin lengthened action potential duration and significantly inhibited KV currents, but had no influence on the characteristics of voltage-gated calcium channels. These results indicate that KV channels are involved in uncarboxylated osteocalcin-regulated insulin secretion in rat pancreatic β cells. By inhibiting KV channels, uncarboxylated osteocalcin prolongs action potential duration, increases intracellular Ca(2+) concentration and finally promotes insulin secretion. This finding provides new insight into the mechanisms of osteocalcin-modulated insulin secretion.

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is expressed in various tissues, including the gastrointestinal tract. To investigate the role of gut CaSR on glycemic control, we examined whether single oral administration of CaSR agonist peptides affected the glycemic response in rats. Glucose tolerance tests were performed under oral or duodenal administration of various CaSR agonist peptides (γGlu-Cys, protamine, and poly-d-lysine hydrobromide) in conscious rats. Involvement of CaSR was determined by using a CaSR antagonist. Signaling pathways underlying CaSR agonist-modified glycemia were investigated using gut hormone receptor antagonists. The gastric emptying rate after the administration of CaSR agonist peptides was measured by the phenol red recovery method. Oral and duodenal administration of CaSR agonist peptides attenuated glycemic responses under the oral glucose tolerance test, but the administration of casein did not. The promotive effect on glucose tolerance was weakened by luminal pretreatment with a CaSR antagonist. Treatment with a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist partially diminished the glucose-lowering effect of peptides. Furthermore, the gastric emptying rate was decreased by duodenal administration of CaSR agonist peptides. These results demonstrate that activation of the gut CaSR by peptide agonists promotes glucose tolerance in conscious rats. 5-HT3 receptor and the delayed gastric emptying rate appear to be involved in the glucose-lowering effect of CaSR agonist peptides. Thus, activation of gut CaSR by dietary peptides reduces glycemic responses so that gut CaSR may be a potential target for the improvement of postprandial glycemia.

The challenge of tissue engineering of the infarcted heart is how to improve stem cell engraftment, survival, homing, and differentiation for myocardial repair. We here propose to integrate human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and pharmacologically active microcarriers (PAMs), a three-dimensional (3D) carrier of cells and growth factors, into an injectable hydrogel (HG), to obtain a system that stimulates the survival and/or differentiation of the grafted cells toward a cardiac phenotype. PAMs are biodegradable and non-cytotoxic poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres conveying cells on their 3D surface that deliver continuously and in a controlled manner a growth factor (GF) acting on the transported cells and on the microenvironment to improve engraftment. The choice of the appropriate GF and its protection during the formulation process and delivery are essential. In this study two GFs, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), have been encapsulated under a solid state in order to limit their interaction with the polymer and conserve their integrity. GF precipitation conditions and release profile from PAMs have been first investigated before combining them to ADSCs. The released IGF-1 and HGF induced the protein synthesis of cardiac differentiation markers GATA4, Nkx2.5, cTnI and CX43 after 1week in vitro. Moreover, the GFs accelerated cell cycle progression, as suggested by the increased expression of Cyclin D1 mRNA and the widespread distribution of Ki67 protein. Integrating PAMs within the thermosensitive P407 hydrogel increased their elastic properties but decreased the transcription of most cardiac markers. In contrast, CX43 expression increased in ADSC-PAM-GF complexes embedded within the hydrogel compared to the ADSCs cultured alone in the absence of P407. These results suggest that particulate scaffolds releasing HGF and IGF-1 may be beneficial for applications in tissue-engineering strategies for myocardial repair and the association with a P407 hydrogel can increase substrate elasticity and junction connections in ADSCs.