Insulin is secreted from pancreatic β cells in response to an elevation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ resulting from enhanced Ca2+ influx through voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels. Mouse β cells express several types of Ca2+ channel (L‐, R‐ and possibly P/Q‐type). β cell‐selective ablation of the gene encoding the L‐type Ca2+ channel subtype Cav1.2 (βCav1.2−/− mouse) decreased the whole‐cell Ca2+ current by only ∼45%, but almost abolished first‐phase insulin secretion and resulted in systemic glucose intolerance. These effects did not correlate with any major effects on intracellular Ca2+ handling and glucose‐induced electrical activity. However, high‐resolution capacitance measurements of exocytosis in single β cells revealed that the loss of first‐phase insulin secretion in the βCav1.2−/− mouse was associated with the disappearance of a rapid component of exocytosis reflecting fusion of secretory granules physically attached to the Cav1.2 channel. Thus, the conduit of Ca2+ entry determines the ability of the cation to elicit secretion.

Concerted activation of different voltage-gated Ca_²⁺ channel isoforms may determine the kinetics of insulin release from pancreatic islets. Here we have elucidated the role of R-type Ca_V2.3 channels in that process. A 20% reduction in glucose-evoked insulin secretion was observed in Ca_V2.3-knockout (Ca_V2.3^–/–) islets, close to the 17% inhibition by the R-type blocker SNX482 but much less than the 77% inhibition produced by the L-type Ca²⁺ channel antagonist isradipine. Dynamic insulin-release measurements revealed that genetic or pharmacological Ca_V2.3 ablation strongly suppressed second-phase secretion, whereas first-phase secretion was unaffected, a result also observed in vivo. Suppression of the second phase coincided with an 18% reduction in oscillatory Ca²⁺ signaling and a 25% reduction in granule recruitment after completion of the initial exocytotic burst in single Ca_V2.3^–/– β cells. Ca_V2.3 ablation also impaired glucose-mediated suppression of glucagon secretion in isolated islets (27% versus 58% in WT), an effect associated with coexpression of insulin and glucagon in a fraction of the islet cells in the Ca_V2.3^–/– mouse. We propose a specific role for Ca_V2.3 Ca²⁺ channels in second-phase insulin release, that of mediating the Ca²⁺ entry needed for replenishment of the releasable pool of granules as well as islet cell differentiation.

We have investigated the short-term effects of the saturated free fatty acid (FFA) palmitate on pancreatic α-cells. Palmitate (0.5 or 1 mmol/l bound to fatty acid–free albumin) stimulated glucagon secretion from intact mouse islets 1.5- to 2-fold when added in the presence of 1–15 mmol/l glucose. Palmitate remained stimulatory in islets depolarized with 30 mmol/l extracellular K+ or exposed to forskolin, but it did not remain stimulatory after treatment with isradipine or triacsin C. The stimulatory action of palmitate on secretion correlated with a 3.5-fold elevation of intracellular free Ca2+ when applied in the presence of 15 mmol/l glucose, a 40% stimulation of exocytosis (measured as increases in cell capacitance), and a 25% increase in whole-cell Ca2+ current. The latter effect was abolished by isradipine, suggesting that palmitate selectively modulates l-type Ca2+ channels. The effect of palmitate on exocytosis was not mediated by palmitoyl-CoA, and intracellular application of this FFA metabolite decreased rather than enhanced Ca2+-induced exocytosis. The stimulatory effects of palmitate on glucagon secretion were paralleled by a ∼50% inhibition of somatostatin release. We conclude that palmitate increases α-cell exocytosis principally by enhanced Ca2+ entry via l-type Ca2+ channels and, possibly, relief from paracrine inhibition by somatostatin released by neighboring δ-cells.

Mouse β-cells cultured at 15 mmol/l glucose for 72 h had reduced ATP-sensitive K⁺ (K_ATP) channel activity (−30%), increased voltage-gated Ca²⁺ currents, higher intracellular free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i; +160%), more exocytosis (monitored by capacitance measurements, +100%), and greater insulin content (+230%) than those cultured at 4.5 mmol/l glucose. However, they released 20% less insulin when challenged with 20 mmol/l glucose. Glucose-induced (20 mmol/l) insulin secretion was reduced by 60–90% in islets cocultured at 4.5 or 15 mmol/l glucose and either oleate or palmitate (0.5 mmol/l). Free fatty acid (FFA)-induced inhibition of secretion was not associated with any major changes in [Ca²⁺]_i or islet ATP content. Palmitate stimulated exocytosis by twofold or more but reduced K⁺-induced secretion by up to 60%. Basal (1 mmol/l glucose) K_ATP channel activity was 40% lower in islets cultured at 4.5 mmol/l glucose plus palmitate and 60% lower in islets cultured at 15 mmol/l glucose plus either of the FFAs. Insulin content decreased by 75% in islets exposed to FFAs in the presence of high (15 mmol/l), but not low (4.5 mmol/l), glucose concentrations, but the number of secretory granules was unchanged. FFA-induced inhibition of insulin secretion was not associated with increased transcript levels of the apoptosis markers Bax (BclII-associated X protein) and caspase-3. We conclude that glucose and FFAs reduce insulin secretion by interference with the exit of insulin via the fusion pore.