1. Modelling of dysregulated glucagon secretion in type 2 diabetes by considering mitochondrial alterations in pancreatic ▫$\alpha$▫-cellsVladimir Grubelnik, Rene Markovič, Saška Lipovšek Delakorda, Gerd Leitinger, Marko Gosak, Jurij Dolenšek, Ismael Valladolid-Acebes, Per-Olof Berggren, Andraž Stožer, Matjaž Perc, Marko Marhl, 2020, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been associated with insulin resistance and the failure of β-cells to produce and secrete enough insulin as the disease progresses. However, clinical treatments based solely on insulin secretion and action have had limited success. The focus is therefore shifting towards α-cells, in particular to the dysregulated secretion of glucagon. Our qualitative electron-microscopy-based observations gave an indication that mitochondria in α-cells are altered in Western-diet-induced T2DM. In particular, α-cells extracted from mouse pancreatic tissue showed a lower density of mitochondria, a less expressed matrix and a lower number of
cristae. These deformities in mitochondrial ultrastructure imply a decreased efficiency in mitochondrial ATP production, which prompted us to theoretically explore and clarify one of the most challenging problems associated with T2DM, namely the lack of glucagon secretion in hypoglycaemia and its oversecretion at high blood glucose concentrations. To this purpose, we constructed a novel computational model that links α-cell metabolism with their electrical activity and glucagon secretion. Our results show that defective mitochondrial metabolism in α-cells can
account for dysregulated glucagon secretion in T2DM, thus improving our understanding of T2DM pathophysiology and indicating possibilities for new clinical treatments.
Ključne besede: diabetes, pancreatic alpha cells, glucagon, mitochondrial dysfunction, free fatty acid Objavljeno v DKUM: 03.09.2024; Ogledov: 49; Prenosov: 6
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2. Autolysis affects the iron cargo of ferritins in neurons and glial cells at different rates in the human brainSowmya Sunkara, Snježana Radulović, Saška Lipovšek Delakorda, Christoph Birkl, Stefan Eggenreich, Anna Maria Birkl-Toeglhofer, Maximilian Schinagl, Daniel Funk, Michael Stöger-Pollach, Johannes Haybaeck, Walter Gössler, Stefan Ropele, Gerd Leitinger, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Iron is known to accumulate in neurological disorders, so a careful balance of the iron concentration is essential for healthy brain functioning. An imbalance in iron homeostasis could arise due to the dysfunction of proteins involved in iron homeostasis. Here, we focus on ferritin—the primary iron storage protein of the brain. In this study, we aimed to improve a method to measure ferritin-bound iron in the human post-mortem brain, and to discern its distribution in particular cell types and brain regions. Though it is known that glial cells and neurons differ in their ferritin concentration, the change in the number and distribution of iron-filled ferritin cores between different cell types during autolysis has not been revealed yet. Here, we show the cellular and region-wide distribution of ferritin in the human brain using state-of-the-art analytical electron microscopy. We validated the concentration of iron-filled ferritin cores to the absolute iron concentration measured by quantitative MRI and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We show that ferritins lose iron from their cores with the progression of autolysis whereas the overall iron concentrations were unaffected. Although the highest concentration of ferritin was found in glial cells, as the total ferritin concentration increased in a patient, ferritin accumulated more in neurons than in glial cells. Summed up, our findings point out the unique behaviour of neurons in storing iron during autolysis and explain the differences between the absolute iron concentrations and iron-filled ferritin in a cell-type-dependent manner in the human brain. Ključne besede: ferritin, human brain, energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy, quantitative magnetic resonance imaging, autolysis Objavljeno v DKUM: 20.03.2024; Ogledov: 228; Prenosov: 27
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3. Malpighian tubule cells in overwintering cave crickets Troglophilus cavicola (Kollar, 1833) and T. neglectus Krauss, 1879 (Rhaphidophoridae, Ensifera)Saška Lipovšek Delakorda, Tone Novak, Franc Janžekovič, Nina Weiland, Gerd Leitinger, 2016, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: During winter, cave cricket larvae undergo dormancy in subterranean habitats; this dormancy is termed diapause in second year Troglophilus cavicola larvae because they mature during this time, and termed quiescence in T. neglectus, because they mature after dormancy. Here we used electron microscopy to analyze ultrastructural changes in the epithelial cells in the Malpighian tubules (MTs) of T. cavicola during diapause, in order to compare them with previous findings on T. neglectus. Moreover, the autophagosomes were studied with immunofluorescence microscopy in both species. Although the basic ultrastructure of the cells was similar, specific differences appeared during overwintering. During this natural starvation period, the nucleus, rER, the Golgi apparatus and mitochondria did not show structural changes, and the spherites were exploited. The abundances of autophagic structures in both species increased during overwintering. At the beginning of overwintering, in both species and sexes, the rates of cells with autophagic structures (phagophores, autophagosomes, autolysosomes and residual bodies) were low, while their rates increased gradually towards the end of overwintering. Between sexes, in T. cavicola significant differences were found in the autophagosome abundances in the middle and at the end, and in T. neglectus at the end of overwintering. Females showed higher rates of autophagic cells than males, and these were more abundant in T. cavicola. Thus, autophagic processes in the MT epithelial cells induced by starvation are mostly parallel in diapausing T. cavicola and quiescent T. neglectus, but more intensive in diapausing females. Ključne besede: cave cricket, overwintering, Troglophilus cavicola, Troglophilus neglectus Objavljeno v DKUM: 19.06.2017; Ogledov: 1396; Prenosov: 387
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4. Larval morphology of the antlion Myrmecaelurus trigrammus (Pallas, 1771) (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae), with notes on larval biologyDušan Devetak, Vesna Klokočovnik, Saška Lipovšek Delakorda, Elisabeth Bock, Gerd Leitinger, 2013, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Morphology and behaviour of third instar larvae of the Holomediterranean antlion species Myrmecaelurus trigrammus (Pallas) are described. Larvae are facultative pit-builders, they either ambush their prey at the surface, or dig pitfall traps that prey fall in to. Dark brown spots on dorsal and ventral sides of the head and on dorsal side of the thorax are charac-teristic of the larvae. Eye tubercles are not prominent. Jaws are equipped with long bristles, campaniform sensilla, sensilla coeloconica, and digitiform sensilla. A unique feature is the shape of the tips of all three teeth that is screw-like with a polyhedral surface. The body surface is covered with longitudinally grooved bristles and plumose hairs. On the tip of the antennae and on terminal and subterminal parts of labial palps sensilla basiconica occur. On the 9th abdominal segment there are two bulges, each of them bearing four digging bristles. Non-prominent eye tubercles and numerous mandibular bristles are morphological traits of pit-builders. Most of the behavioural traits are related to pit builders, whereas forward movement, waiting for prey without a pit and frequent changing of ambush location are traits of non-pit builders. Ključne besede: zoologija, volkci, morfologija, Neuroptera, zoology, antlions, morphology, Neuroptera Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.07.2015; Ogledov: 1838; Prenosov: 104
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5. Rab3a ablation related changes in morphology of secretory vesicles in major endocrine pancreatic cells, pituitary melanotroph cells and adrenal gland chromaffin cells in miceSaška Lipovšek Delakorda, Franc Janžekovič, Gerd Leitinger, Marjan Rupnik, 2013, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: In this work we have compared the ultrastructural characteristics of major pancreatic endocrine cells, pituitary melanotrophs and adrenal chromaffin cells in the normal mouse strain (wild type, WT) and mice with a known secretory deficit, the Rab3a knockout strain (Rab3a KO). For this purpose, pancreata, pituitary glands and adrenal glands from the Rab3a KO and from the WT mice were analysed, using conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In order to assess the significance of the presence of Rab3a proteins in the relevant cells, we focused primarily on their secretory vesicle morphology and distribution. Our results showed a comparable general morphology in Rab3a KO and WT in all assessed endocrine cell types. In all studied cell types, the distribution of secretory granules along the plasma membrane (number of docked and almost-docked vesicles) was comparable between Rab3a KO and WT mice. Specific differences were found in the diameters of their secretory vesicles, diameters of their electron-dense cores and the presence of autophagic structures in the cells of Rab3A KO mice only. Occasionally, individual electron-dense round vesicles were present inside autophagosome-like structures; these were possibly secretory vesicles or their remnants. The differences found in the diameters of the secretory vesicles confirm the key role of Rab3a proteins in controlling the balance between secretory vesicle biogenesis and degradation, and suggest that the ablation of this protein probably changes the nature of the reservoir of secretory vesicles available for regulated exocytosis. Ključne besede: chromaffin cells, melanotrophs, pancreatic endocrine cells Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.07.2015; Ogledov: 1351; Prenosov: 89
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7. Spherites provide elemental supply in overwintering Mollusca, Opiliones and InsectaSaška Lipovšek Delakorda, Ilse Letofsky-Papst, Ferdinand Hofer, Maria Anna Pabst, Gerd Leitinger, Tone Novak, 2012, objavljeni povzetek znanstvenega prispevka na konferenci Ključne besede: zoologija, prezimovanje, sferiti Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.07.2015; Ogledov: 1436; Prenosov: 60
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