Murine insulinoma cell line with normal glucose-regulated insulin secretion.

Pancreatic beta TC lines derived from insulinomas arising in transgenic mice expressing SV40 Tag under control of the insulin promoter manifest a differentiated beta-cell phenotype and secrete insulin in response to glucose. Previously reported beta TC lines respond to subphysiological extracellular glucose levels compared with normal beta-cells. Recently, several beta TC lines were developed with normal glucose-regulated insulin secretion from insulinomas obtained by breeding of the RIP-Tag transgene from the original C57BI/6 mouse strain into the C3HeB/FeJ strain. One of these beta TC lines, beta TC7, was characterized in detail. Beta TC7 cells express GLUT2 and have levels of glucokinase and hexokinase activity similar to those of normal islets. As a result these cells exhibit a normal glucose concentration dependency for glycolysis and insulin secretion, thus representing an accurate model of beta-cell function. On continuous propagation in culture, beta TC7 cells acquired a response to lower extracellular glucose levels. This change was associated with a fourfold increase in hexokinase activity, without significant changes in glucokinase activity and glucose uptake rates. These findings suggest an important role for glucose phosphorylation rates in regulation of the beta-cell insulin secretory response to glucose.