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Reduced glutamate decarboxylase activity in rat islet β cells which survived streptozotocin‐induced cytotoxicity
Author(s) -
Ling Z.,
Malaisse-Lagae F.,
Malaisse W.J.,
Pipeleers D.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(93)80130-m
Subject(s) - cytotoxicity , streptozotocin , glutamate decarboxylase , islet , chemistry , endocrinology , medicine , diabetes mellitus , biology , biochemistry , enzyme , in vitro
Rat pancreatic β cells exhibit a 16‐fold higher glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity than islet non‐β cells, but a similar glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity, β Cells which survive exposure to 2 mM streptozotocin only contain 10 percent of the GAD activity of control cells, but their GDH activity remains unaltered. Culture of streptozotocin‐treated β cell preparations with 2 mM nicotinamide reduces the number of dead cells and prevents in part the decline in GAD activity of surviving β cells. These data indicate that loss in activity of the β cell specific enzyme GAD can serve as marker for β cells which survived a destructive process. It is furthermore demonstrated that nicotinamide increases the percent surviving cells and decreases their loss in GAD activity.