Destruction of rat pancreatic islet beta-cells by cytokines involves the production of cytotoxic aldehydes

Cytokines produced by mononuclear leukocytes infiltrating pancreatic islets are candidate mediators of islet beta-cell destruction in autoimmune insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Cytokines may damage islet beta-cells by inducing oxygen free radical production in the beta-cells. Lipid peroxidation and aldehyde production are measures of oxygen free radical-mediated cell injury. In the current study, we used a HPLC technique to measure levels of different aldehydes produced in rat islets incubated with cytokines. The cytokine combination of interleukin-1beta (10 U/ml), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (10(3) U/ml), and interferon-gamma (10(3) U/ml), and the oxidant, t-butylhydroperoxide, induced significant increases in islet levels of the same aldehydes: butanal, pentanal, 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), and hexanal. Cytokine-induced aldehyde production was associated with islet beta-cell destruction. Thus, cytokine-induced increases in malondialdehyde (MDA; at 4 h) and 4-HNE (at 8 h) preceded islet cell destructi...