Molecular and functional evaluation of markers in the pancreatic beta cell involved in the insulin stimulus/secretion coupling in malnourished mice submitted to high fat diet and supplemented with taurine

In ? cells stimulus/secretion coupling, ATP-sensitive K+ channels (KATP) and voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channel (Cav) contribute to generating and sustaining the potential action. Changes in the expression or activity of these channels lead to insulin secretion impairment. Protein restriction as well as high-fat diet alters ?-cells ionic handling modifying insulin secretory profile. Taurine (Tau) regulates ion flux and improves ?-cell function. The aim of this study was to characterize the expression and function of KATP and Cav channels, as well as exocitotic proteins in isolated islets from malnourished mice submitted to high-fat diet and supplemented with Tau. Male C57Bl/6J mice received control (14% protein-C) or low-protein diet (6% protein-R) for 6 weeks. After, half of these groups were submitted to high-fat diet for 8 weeks without (CH and RH) or combined with 5% of Tau (CHT and RHT). Protein restricted mice showed lower growth and organs development. Both, CH and RH mice presented higher body weight, fat stores, hypercholesterolemia, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Tau supplementation prevented fat accumulation and glucose intolerance only in CHT group. Isolated islets from malnourished mice secreted less insulin in response to 2.8 mM glucose in combination with 30 mM K + or 100 ?M tolbutamide (Tolb). However, Ca2+ influx in these conditions did not differ. R group also released less insulin in response to 11.1 mM glucose in combination or not with depolarizing agents. In addition, R islets showed lower insulin and SNAP-25 protein content, whereas an increased protein expression of the Kir6.2 subunit of the KATP channel, as well as its activation during glucose stimulus. However, CH islets presented increased hormone release in the presence of 11.1 mM glucose in combination or not with depolaring agents, effect associated with enhanced KATP inhibition and Cav activation in response to glucose. RH group showed a lower insulin secretion in response to 2.8 mM glucose plus K+, and a similar secretion to C group upon 11.1 mM glucose together or not with depolarizing agents. Also, RH islets showed increased SNAP-25 protein levels. In CHT islets, Tau supplementation normalized insulin release and increased protein amount of ?1.2 and ?2 subunits of the Cav without modify its activity, and enhanced islet SNAP-25 and syntaxin protein levels. But, in RHT islets, enhanced insulin secretion in response to glucose and depolarizing agents, and increased syntaxin and Kir6.2 protein expression. In addition, RHT islets showed improved KATP inhibition and Cav activation in the presence of the sugar. In conclusion, insulin secretory dysfunction in R islets was associated with the lower expression of the exocytotic proteins and altered protein expression and activity of the KATP . Whereas, despite RH mice showed insulin resistance in a similar extent of that observed in CH mice, they did not present ?-cells functional adaptations to this condition, since RH islets did not hypersecret insulin. In addition, RHT islets presented a better secretory capacity probably due to the higher content of KATP and it inhibition induced by Tau which contributes to enhance the insulin exocytosis via syntaxin protein (AU)