Premium
Depletion of SK1 channel subunits leads to constitutive insulin secretion
Author(s) -
Andres Marilou A.,
Baptista Nicholas C.,
Efird Jimmy T.,
Ogata Kathleen K.,
Bellinger Frederick P.,
Zeyda Thomas
Publication year - 2009
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/j.febslet.2008.12.024
Subject(s) - secretion , endocrinology , insulin , medicine , beta (programming language) , beta cell , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , membrane potential , chemistry , biophysics , islet , computer science , programming language
In the pancreas, the role of the small‐conductance, calcium‐activated SK channels remains controversial. Here, we show that three SK subtypes are expressed in the rat insulinoma cells. Our findings demonstrate that rat SK1 (rSK1) channels ensure appropriate insulin secretion by establishing the cell's negative resting membrane potential and shortening the duration of the action potential. We also found that the depletion of rSK1 transcripts generated a condition in which beta cells constitutively secrete insulin, even in the absence of a stimulating molecule (such as glucose). Together, these results implicate SK1 subunits as key regulators of excitability and endocrine function in beta cells.