Enhanced dynorphin expression and secretion in pancreatic beta-cells under hyperglycemic conditions

Objective: Dynorphin, an endogenous opioid peptide predominantly expressed in the central nervous system and involved in stress response, pain, and addiction, has intrigued researchers due to its expression in pancreatic β-cells. In this study, we aimed to characterize dynorphin expression in mouse...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Miranda Movahed, Ruy A. Louzada, Manuel Blandino-Rosano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Molecular Metabolism
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212877824002199
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832575472319332352
author Miranda Movahed
Ruy A. Louzada
Manuel Blandino-Rosano
author_facet Miranda Movahed
Ruy A. Louzada
Manuel Blandino-Rosano
author_sort Miranda Movahed
collection DOAJ
description Objective: Dynorphin, an endogenous opioid peptide predominantly expressed in the central nervous system and involved in stress response, pain, and addiction, has intrigued researchers due to its expression in pancreatic β-cells. In this study, we aimed to characterize dynorphin expression in mouse and human islets and explore the mechanisms regulating its expression. Methods: We used primary mouse and human islets with unbiased published datasets to examine how glucose and other nutrients regulate dynorphin expression and secretion in islets. Results: The prodynorphin gene is significantly upregulated in β-cells under hyperglycemic conditions. In vitro studies revealed that increased glucose concentrations correlate with increased dynorphin expression, indicating a critical interplay involving Ca2+, CamKII, and CREB pathways in β-cells. Perifusion studies allowed us to measure the dynamic secretion of dynorphin in response to glucose from mouse and human islets for the first time. Furthermore, we confirmed that increased dynorphin content within the β-cells directly correlates with enhanced dynorphin secretion. Finally, our findings demonstrate a synergistic effect of palmitate in conjunction with high glucose, further amplifying dynorphin levels and secretion in pancreatic islets. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the opioid peptide prodynorphin is expressed in mouse and human β-cells. Prodynorphin levels are regulated in parallel with insulin in response to glucose, palmitate, and amino acids. Our findings elucidate the signaling pathways involved, with CamKII playing a key role in regulating prodynorphin levels in β-cells. Finally, our findings are the first to demonstrate active dynorphin secretion from mouse and human islets in response to glucose.
format Article
id doaj-art-a9ddb8f200a043a38eed5e2bacd5346a
institution Kabale University
issn 2212-8778
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Molecular Metabolism
spelling doaj-art-a9ddb8f200a043a38eed5e2bacd5346a2025-02-01T04:11:57ZengElsevierMolecular Metabolism2212-87782025-02-0192102088Enhanced dynorphin expression and secretion in pancreatic beta-cells under hyperglycemic conditionsMiranda Movahed0Ruy A. Louzada1Manuel Blandino-Rosano2Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USADepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USACorresponding author.; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USAObjective: Dynorphin, an endogenous opioid peptide predominantly expressed in the central nervous system and involved in stress response, pain, and addiction, has intrigued researchers due to its expression in pancreatic β-cells. In this study, we aimed to characterize dynorphin expression in mouse and human islets and explore the mechanisms regulating its expression. Methods: We used primary mouse and human islets with unbiased published datasets to examine how glucose and other nutrients regulate dynorphin expression and secretion in islets. Results: The prodynorphin gene is significantly upregulated in β-cells under hyperglycemic conditions. In vitro studies revealed that increased glucose concentrations correlate with increased dynorphin expression, indicating a critical interplay involving Ca2+, CamKII, and CREB pathways in β-cells. Perifusion studies allowed us to measure the dynamic secretion of dynorphin in response to glucose from mouse and human islets for the first time. Furthermore, we confirmed that increased dynorphin content within the β-cells directly correlates with enhanced dynorphin secretion. Finally, our findings demonstrate a synergistic effect of palmitate in conjunction with high glucose, further amplifying dynorphin levels and secretion in pancreatic islets. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the opioid peptide prodynorphin is expressed in mouse and human β-cells. Prodynorphin levels are regulated in parallel with insulin in response to glucose, palmitate, and amino acids. Our findings elucidate the signaling pathways involved, with CamKII playing a key role in regulating prodynorphin levels in β-cells. Finally, our findings are the first to demonstrate active dynorphin secretion from mouse and human islets in response to glucose.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212877824002199IsletBeta-cellDynorphinCamKII
spellingShingle Miranda Movahed
Ruy A. Louzada
Manuel Blandino-Rosano
Enhanced dynorphin expression and secretion in pancreatic beta-cells under hyperglycemic conditions
Molecular Metabolism
Islet
Beta-cell
Dynorphin
CamKII
title Enhanced dynorphin expression and secretion in pancreatic beta-cells under hyperglycemic conditions
title_full Enhanced dynorphin expression and secretion in pancreatic beta-cells under hyperglycemic conditions
title_fullStr Enhanced dynorphin expression and secretion in pancreatic beta-cells under hyperglycemic conditions
title_full_unstemmed Enhanced dynorphin expression and secretion in pancreatic beta-cells under hyperglycemic conditions
title_short Enhanced dynorphin expression and secretion in pancreatic beta-cells under hyperglycemic conditions
title_sort enhanced dynorphin expression and secretion in pancreatic beta cells under hyperglycemic conditions
topic Islet
Beta-cell
Dynorphin
CamKII
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212877824002199
work_keys_str_mv AT mirandamovahed enhanceddynorphinexpressionandsecretioninpancreaticbetacellsunderhyperglycemicconditions
AT ruyalouzada enhanceddynorphinexpressionandsecretioninpancreaticbetacellsunderhyperglycemicconditions
AT manuelblandinorosano enhanceddynorphinexpressionandsecretioninpancreaticbetacellsunderhyperglycemicconditions