Browsing by Author "Xie, Wenjun"

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    Calcium release channel RyR2 regulates insulin release and glucose homeostasis
    (2015-04) Santulli, Gaetano; Pagano, Gennaro; Sardu, Celestino; Xie, Wenjun; Reiken, Steven; D'Ascia, Salvatore Luca; Cannone, Michele; Marziliano, Nicola; Trimarco, Bruno; Guise, Theresa A.; Lacampagne, Alain; Marks, Andrew R.; Department of Medicine, IU School of Medicine
    The type 2 ryanodine receptor (RyR2) is a Ca2+ release channel on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of several types of cells, including cardiomyocytes and pancreatic β cells. In cardiomyocytes, RyR2-dependent Ca2+ release is critical for excitation-contraction coupling; however, a functional role for RyR2 in β cell insulin secretion and diabetes mellitus remains controversial. Here, we took advantage of rare RyR2 mutations that were identified in patients with a genetic form of exercise-induced sudden death (catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia [CPVT]). As these mutations result in a “leaky” RyR2 channel, we exploited them to assess RyR2 channel function in β cell dynamics. We discovered that CPVT patients with mutant leaky RyR2 present with glucose intolerance, which was heretofore unappreciated. In mice, transgenic expression of CPVT-associated RyR2 resulted in impaired glucose homeostasis, and an in-depth evaluation of pancreatic islets and β cells from these animals revealed intracellular Ca2+ leak via oxidized and nitrosylated RyR2 channels, activated ER stress response, mitochondrial dysfunction, and decreased fuel-stimulated insulin release. Additionally, we verified the effects of the pharmacological inhibition of intracellular Ca2+ leak in CPVT-associated RyR2-expressing mice, in human islets from diabetic patients, and in an established murine model of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Taken together, our data indicate that RyR2 channels play a crucial role in the regulation of insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis.
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    Excess TGF-β mediates muscle weakness associated with bone metastases in mice
    (SpringerNature, 2015-11) Waning, David L.; Mohammad, Khalid S.; Reiken, Steven; Xie, Wenjun; Andersson, Daniel C.; John, Sutha; Chiechi, Antonella; Wright, Laura E.; Umanskaya, Alisa; Niewolna, Maria; Trivedi, Trupti; Charkhzarrin, Sahba; Khatiwada, Pooja; Wronska, Anetta; Haynes, Ashley; Benassi, Maria Serena; Witzmann, Frank A.; Zhen, Gehua; Wang, Xiao; Cao, Xu; Roodman, G. David; Marks, Andrew R.; Guise, Theresa A.; Department of Medicine, IU School of Medicine
    Cancer-associated muscle weakness is a poorly understood phenomenon, and there is no effective treatment. Here we find that seven different mouse models of human osteolytic bone metastases-representing breast, lung and prostate cancers, as well as multiple myeloma-exhibited impaired muscle function, implicating a role for the tumor-bone microenvironment in cancer-associated muscle weakness. We found that transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, released from the bone surface as a result of metastasis-induced bone destruction, upregulated NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4), resulting in elevated oxidization of skeletal muscle proteins, including the ryanodine receptor and calcium (Ca(2+)) release channel (RyR1). The oxidized RyR1 channels leaked Ca(2+), resulting in lower intracellular signaling, which is required for proper muscle contraction. We found that inhibiting RyR1 leakage, TGF-β signaling, TGF-β release from bone or Nox4 activity improved muscle function in mice with MDA-MB-231 bone metastases. Humans with breast- or lung cancer-associated bone metastases also had oxidized skeletal muscle RyR1 that is not seen in normal muscle. Similarly, skeletal muscle weakness, increased Nox4 binding to RyR1 and oxidation of RyR1 were present in a mouse model of Camurati-Engelmann disease, a nonmalignant metabolic bone disorder associated with increased TGF-β activity. Thus, pathological TGF-β release from bone contributes to muscle weakness by decreasing Ca(2+)-induced muscle force production.