Targeting Mitochondrial Calcium Uptake with the Natural Flavonol Kaempferol, to Promote Metabolism/Secretion Coupling in Pancreatic β-cells

Pancreatic beta-cells secrete insulin to lower blood glucose, following a meal. Maintenance of beta-cell function is essential to preventing type 2 diabetes. In pancreatic beta-cells, mitochondrial matrix calcium is an activating signal for insulin secretion. Recently, the molecular identity of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), the transporter that mediates mitochondrial calcium uptake, was revealed. Its role in pancreatic beta-cell signal transduction modulation was clarified, opening new perspectives for intervention. Here, we investigated the effects of a mitochondrial Ca2+-targeted nutritional intervention strategy on metabolism/secretion coupling, in a model of pancreatic insulin-secreting cells (INS-1E). Acute treatment of INS-1E cells with the natural plant flavonoid and MCU activator kaempferol, at a low micromolar range, increased mitochondrial calcium rise during glucose stimulation, without affecting the expression level of the MCU and with no cytotoxicity. Enhanced mitochondrial calcium rises potentiated glucose-induced insulin secretion. Conversely, the MCU inhibitor mitoxantrone inhibited mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and prevented both glucose-induced insulin secretion and kaempferol-potentiated effects. The kaempferol-dependent potentiation of insulin secretion was finally validated in a model of a standardized pancreatic human islet. We conclude that the plant product kaempferol activates metabolism/secretion coupling in insulin-secreting cells by modulating mitochondrial calcium uptake.