cAMP-mediated and metabolic amplification of insulin secretion are distinct pathways sharing independence of β-cell microfilaments.

Insulin secretion is triggered by an increase in the cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](c)) in β-cells. Ca(2+)-induced exocytosis of insulin granules can be augmented by metabolic amplification (unknown signals generated through glucose metabolism) or neurohormonal amplification (in particular cAMP mediated). Functional actin microfilaments are not required for metabolic amplification, but their possible role in cAMP-mediated amplification is unknown. It is also uncertain whether cAMP (generated in response to glucose) is implicated in metabolic amplification. These questions were addressed using isolated mouse islets. cAMP levels were increased by phosphodiesterase inhibition (with isobutylmethylxanthine) and adenylate-cyclase stimulation (with forskolin or glucagon-like peptide-1, 7-36 amide). Raising cAMP levels had no steady-state impact on actin polymerization in control islets. Neither disruption (depolymerization by latrunculin) nor stabilization (polymerization by jasplakinolide) of actin microfilaments was counteracted by cAMP. Both changes increased both phases of glucose- or tolbutamide-induced insulin secretion but did not prevent further amplification by cAMP. These large changes in secretion were not caused by changes in [Ca(2+)](c), which was only slightly increased by cAMP. Both phases of insulin secretion were larger in response to glucose than tolbutamide, although [Ca(2+)](c) was lower. This difference in secretion, which reflects metabolic amplification, was independent of microfilaments, was not attributable to differences in cAMP, and persisted in presence of dibutyryl-cAMP or when cAMP levels were variably raised by isobutylmethylxanthine + forskolin or glucagon-like peptide-1, 7-36 amide. We conclude that metabolic and cAMP-mediated amplification of insulin secretion are distinct pathways that accelerate acquisition of release competence by insulin granules that can access exocytotic sites without intervention of microfilaments.