Chemical dissection of the link between streptozotocin, O-GlcNAc, and pancreatic cell death.

ABSTRACT: Streptozotocin is a natural product that selectively kills insulin-secreting beta cells, and is widely used to generate mouse models of diabetes or treat pancreatic tumors. Several studies suggest that streptozotocin toxicity stems from its N-nitrosourea moiety releasing nitric oxide and possessing DNA alkylating activity. However, it has also been proposed that streptozotocin induces apoptosis by inhibiting O-GlcNAcase, an enzyme that, together with O-GlcNAc transferase, is important for dynamic intracellular protein O-glycosylation. We have used galacto-streptozotocin to chemically dissect the link between O-GlcNAcase inhibition and apoptosis. Using X-ray crystallography, enzymology, and cell biological studies on an insulinoma cell line, we show that, whereas streptozotocin competitivel

SUBMITTER: Pathak S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2568864 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature