It is known that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) ligands stimulate acute-phase insulin secretion with a rapid Ca2+ influx into pancreatic beta-cells, but the precise mechanisms are not clear. The effects of PPAR-alpha ligands on pancreatic beta-cells also remain unclear. We investigated the effects of PPAR-alpha ligands (fenofibrate and fenofibric acid), a PPAR-gamma ligand (troglitazone), and an endogenous ligand of PPAR-gamma [15-deoxy-Delta12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15-deoxy-Delta12,14-PGJ2)] on KATP channel activity in clonal hamster insulinoma cell line, HIT-T15 cells. As assessed by whole-cell patch clamp, fenofibrate, fenofibric acid, troglitazone, and 15-deoxy-Delta12,14-PGJ2 reduced the KATP channel currents, and inhibition continued after washout of these agents. The concentration-response curves of fenofibrate, fenofibric acid, troglitazone, and 15-deoxy-Delta12,14-PGJ2 showed half-maximal inhibition of KATP channel currents (IC50) at 3.26, 94, 2.1, and 7.3 micromol/l, respectively. Fenofibrate (> or = 10(-6) mol/l), 15-deoxy-Delta12,14-PGJ2 (> or = 5 x 10(-5) mol/l), and troglitazone (> or = 10(-6) mol/l) inhibited [3H]glibenclamide binding, but fenofibric acid did not. In addition, fenofibrate (> or = 10(-6) mol/l), fenofibric acid (10(-4) mol/l), troglitazone (10(-4) mol/l), and 15-deoxy-Delta12,14-PGJ2 (> or = 10(-5) mol/l) increased insulin secretion from HIT-T15 when applied for 10 min. Our data suggest that PPAR-alpha and -gamma ligands interact directly with the beta-cell membrane and stimulate insulin secretion.