The role of protein kinase CK2 in the regulation of the insulin production of pancreatic islets

An appropriate regulation of the insulin production and secretion in pancreatic β-cells is necessary for the control of blood glucose homeostasis. The pancreatic duodenal homeobox factor-1 (Pdx-1) is among the various factors and signals which are implicated in the regulation of the insulin synthesis and secretion in the pancreatic β-cells. Recently, we identified Pdx-1 as a substrate for protein kinase CK2. Since CK2 is implicated in the regulation of many different cellular signaling pathways we now asked whether it might also be involved in the regulation of the insulin regulation in β-cells. Here, we show that insulin treatment of β-cells resulted in an elevated CK2 kinase activity. On the other hand down-regulation of CK2 activity by quinalizarin led to an elevated level of insulin. These results demonstrate that CK2 is implicated in the insulin regulation on pancreatic β-cells.

Research highlights
► Insulin induces an elevated protein kinase activity.
► Inhibition of CK2 in pancreatic β-cells stimulates insulin production.
► There is an autoregulatory loop for insulin on the insulin production in pancreatic β-cells.
► Insulin has no influence on the expression level of all CK2 subunits.