Protein Kinase C (Pkc)-δ Mediates Arginine-Induced Glucagon Secretion in Pancreatic α-Cells

Norikiyo Honzawa, Kei Fujimoto, Masaki Kobayashi, Daisuke Kohno, Osamu Kikuchi, Hiromi Yokota-Hashimoto, Eri Wada, Yuichi Ikeuchi, Yoko Tabei, Gerald W. Dorn, Kazunori Utsunomiya, Rimei Nishimura, Tadahiro Kitamura

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes involves insulin and glucagon. Protein kinase C (Pkc)-δ, a serine–threonine kinase, is ubiquitously expressed and involved in regulating cell death and proliferation. However, the role of Pkcδ in regulating glucagon secretion in pancreatic α-cells remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the physiological role of Pkcδ in glucagon secretion from pancreatic α-cells. Glucagon secretions were investigated in Pkcδ-knockdown InR1G9 cells and pancreatic α-cell-specific Pkcδ-knockout (αPkcδKO) mice. Knockdown of Pkcδ in the glucagon-secreting cell line InR1G9 cells reduced glucagon secretion. The basic amino acid arginine enhances glucagon secretion via voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCC). Furthermore, we showed that arginine increased Pkcδ phosphorylation at Thr505, which is critical for Pkcδ activation. Interestingly, the knockdown of Pkcδ in InR1G9 cells reduced arginine-induced glucagon secretion. Moreover, arginine-induced glucagon secretions were decreased in αPkcδKO mice and islets from αPkcδKO mice. Pkcδ is essential for arginine-induced glucagon secretion in pancreatic α-cells. Therefore, this study may contribute to the elucidation of the molecular mechanism of amino acid-induced glucagon secretion and the development of novel antidiabetic drugs targeting Pkcδ and glucagon.

Original languageEnglish
Article number4003
JournalInternational journal of molecular sciences
Volume23
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2022

Keywords

  • arginine
  • glucagon
  • pancreatic α-cell
  • protein kinase C-δ

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