Ghrelin对离体大鼠胰岛分泌胰岛素的影响及其机制

目的 观察外源性Ghrelin对胰岛素分泌和胰岛内向整流钾通道(Kir6.2)表达的影响.方法 Wistar大鼠按10 nmoL/kg的剂量予Ghrelin腹腔注射2周后,分离胰岛进行胰岛素释放实验,分离β细胞检测静息膜电位;检测胰岛Kir6.2 mRNA和蛋白表达变化.结果 在11.1、16.7mmol/L葡萄糖刺激下,对照组的胰岛素释放分别为22.5、43.5 uIU/胰岛/h,Ghrelin组为15.2、30.1uIU/胰岛/h,较对照组显著降低(P＜0.05).对照组β细胞的静息膜电位为(-73.2±24.8)mV,Ghrelin组为(-95.4±33.7)mV,较对照组显著降低(P＜0.05).而Ghrelin组Kir6.2表达显著高于对照组(P＜0.05).结论 Ghrelin与其受体结合后抑制胰岛素分泌,其机制可能与上调Kir6.2表达,使β细胞兴奋性降低有关.

Abstract：

Objective To investigate the influence of ghrelin administration on the insulin secretion, and the expression of Kir6. 2 channels in islets. Methods Ghrelin was intraperitoneally administrated in Wistar rats at the doses 10 nmol/kg every day for 2 weeks. Islets were isolated for insulin release experiments. Single β cells were isolated for electrophysiological experiments. Meanwhile, the expression levels of Kir6. 2 mRNA and protein in islets were detected. Results At 11. 1 and 16. 7 mmol/L glucose,the levels of insulin release in control group were 22. 5 and 43.5 uIU/islet per h, and those in ghrelin-treated group were 15. 2 and 30. 1 uIU/islet per h (P ＜0. 05 ). In control group, the resting membrane potential reached ( - 73.2 ± 24. 8 ) mV, but in ghrelin-treated group, it was hyperpolarized to ( - 95.4 ± 33.7 )mV ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). The Kir6. 2 expression levels were significantly up-regulated by ghrelin ( P ＜ 0. 05 ).Conclusion Ghrelin via pancreatic GHSR up-regulates the Kir6. 2 expression in islets, hyperpolarizing the resting membrane potential, and resulting in the inhibition of insulin release.     

Calcitonin inhibition of insulin release from isolated rat pancreatic islets

Calcitonin is known to inhibit secretion of gastrin and insulin in vivo. The objective of this study was to determine whether calcitonin can act directly on pancreatic islets in vitro to inhibit insulin release. Isolated islets were obtained from collagenase-treated rat pancreas, and three peptides (gastrin-releasing peptide, cholecystokinin-8, bombesin) and glucose were used to stimulate insulin release. All agents caused a significant increase in insulin secretion and calcitonin inhibited these responses, but had no consistent effect on basal release. This study provides evidence that calcitonin is an effective inhibitor of insulin secretion and acts directly on islet tissue.     

Glucose metabolism and pulsatile insulin release from isolated islets

The effects of metabolic inhibition on insulin release and the cytoplasmic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) were studied in individually perifused pancreatic islets from ob/ob mice. The modest basal secretion in the presence of 3 mmol/l glucose was pulsatile with a frequency of approximately 0.2/min, although [Ca(2+)](i) was stable at approximately 100 nmol/l. Introduction of 11 mmol/l glucose resulted in large amplitude oscillations of [Ca(2+)](i) and almost 20-fold stimulation of average secretion manifested as increased amplitude of the insulin pulses without change in frequency. Inhibition of glycolysis with iodoacetamide or mitochondrial metabolism with dinitrophenol or antimycin A reduced glucose-stimulated secretion back to basal levels with maintained pulsatility. The [Ca(2+)](i) responses to the metabolic inhibitors were more complex, but in general there was an initial peak and eventually sustained elevation without oscillations. When introduced in the presence of 3 mmol/l glucose, the metabolic inhibitors tended to increase the amplitude of the insulin pulses, although the simultaneous elevation in [Ca(2+)](i) occurred without oscillations. The data indicate that pulsatile secretion is regulated by factors other than [Ca(2+)](i) under basal conditions and after metabolic inhibition. Although pulsatile secretion can be driven by oscillations in metabolism when [Ca(2+)](i) is stable, it was not possible from the present data to determine whether insulin pulses have a glycolytic or mitochondrial origin.     

Alloxan stimulation and inhibition of insulin release from isolated rat islets of Langerhans.

The rate of alloxan-induced insulin release was measured from rat islets maintained in a simple perifusion system. Insulin release during the five-minute exposure to alloxan reached its maximum rate after two to three minutes of the exposure and then rapidly declined. This insulin release was dependent upon extracellular calcium and was associated with an increased 45Ca uptake by isolated islets. Once exposed to alloxan, however, the islets did not release insulin when stimulated again with D-glucose or alloxan. These effects of alloxan on insulin release (stimulation and subsequent inhibition) and the increased 45Ca uptake were prevented by the presence of 3-0-methyl-D-glucose during the alloxan exposure. These findings indicate a close correlation between alloxan-induced insulin release and the subsequent inhibition of further insulin release. D-glucose, when present during the entire five-minute exposure to alloxan, protected competitively against alloxan inhibition of insulin release. In addition, D-glucose, when present immediately after brief (one to three minutes) alloxan exposures, reversed some of the subsequent inhibition of insulin release. These findings suggest that alloxan and D-glucose were competing for a common site on the beta-cell. The possibility of this site being a receptor responsible for the initiation of insulin release is discussed.     

Relationship between insulin release and 65zinc efflux from rat pancreatic islets maintained in tissue culture

In short-term batch-incubation or perfusion experiments, we studied insulin release and associated 65Zn efflux from rat pancreatic islets loaded with 65Zn by 24-h tissue culture in low-glucose medium. The fractional basal insulin release and 65Zn efflux were 0.4% and 3% of total content/h/islet, respectively. Thus, basal 65Zn efflux was much greater than that to be accounted for if zinc was released proportionally with insulin release only; extragranular zinc flux was suggested. Two millimolar glucose, with or without 1 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), affected neither insulin release nor associated 65Zn efflux. Twenty-five millimolar glucose produced a significant threefold increase in insulin release above baseline, but somewhat decreased 65Zn efflux at marginal significance. Glucose (25 mM) plus 1 mM IBMX provoked a high increase in insulin release and an associated 30% increase in fractional 65Zn efflux over basal. Calculations based on previous estimations of 65Zn distribution and equilibrium with islet zinc indicated that molar zinc efflux was more than sufficient to account for a 2-zinc-insulin hexamer. L-leucine (2 or 20 mM) plus 1 mM IBMX caused far greater 65Zn efflux for the amount of insulin released, indicating additional 65Zn mobilization not directly related to insulin secretion. To evaluate 65Zn efflux during inhibited insulin secretion, batch incubations were performed in 100% D2O or at 27 degrees C, conditions that inhibited insulin release stimulated by high glucose plus IBMX. These agents decreased the 65Zn efflux far below the basal value (35% and 50%, respectively) and greater than could be accounted for by the attendent inhibition of insulin secretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Age-dependent stimulation of neonatal insulin release and inositol phosphate accumulation by CCK-8 and carbachol

Development of a robust insulin secretory response to glucose occurs during the early neonatal period. To determine if neuroendocrine agents play a role during this time, we studied the effects of selected peptides and neurotransmitters on insulin release and polyphosphoinositide metabolism in islets isolated from 1- and 3-day neonatal rats. Vasoactive intestinal peptide had no effect on glucose-stimulated release in either islet population. In contrast, sulfated cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) significantly enhanced glucose-induced insulin release in both islet groups. One-day islets were stimulated only by a concentration of 300 nM, whereas 3-day islets were responsive at 3 nM. Similar to CCK-8, there were clear differences in responses to carbachol between 1- and 3-day islets. One-day islets required a concentration of 200 microM for insulin release to be significantly greater than with glucose alone; 3-day islet insulin release was significant at 2 microM carbachol. Both agonists stimulated inositol phosphate accumulation in 3-day islets, but only CCK-8 caused a significant increase over glucose-induced levels in 1-day islets. These results indicate that islet responsiveness to CCK-8 and carbachol develops in parallel during the early neonatal period. This development may be linked to the maturation of a critical step of stimulus-secretion coupling through which these agents act.     

Phosphoinositide hydrolysis and insulin release from isolated perifused rat islets. Studies with glucose

The ability of glucose to promote the hydrolysis of prelabeled [2-3H]inositol-containing phosphoinositides (PI) was assessed by measuring the efflux of 3H in response to glucose and the accumulation of labeled inositol phosphates. The inclusion of nonradioactive inositol (1 mM) in the perifusion medium dramatically improved our ability to monitor glucose-induced increases in 3H efflux. Efflux studies with this method revealed the following. 1) 3H efflux is significantly greater at 7 than at 2.75 mM glucose, and this parallels a small but significant increase in insulin secretion. 2) D-manno-Heptulose reduces 3H efflux with 7 mM glucose to a level approximating that seen in the presence of 2.75 mM glucose and has no effect on 3H efflux with 2.75 mM glucose. 3) In the presence of 20 mM glucose plus 1 mM inositol, 3H efflux is rapid and biphasic, a response that parallels the timing and amplitude of the biphasic pattern of insulin secretion. Direct measurements of labeled inositol and inositol phosphate levels in islets revealed the following. 4) After 50 min of perifusion with 2.75 or 7 mM glucose, labeled inositol phosphates were significantly greater with 7 mM glucose. 5) In response to 20 mM glucose alone, islet levels of free inositol, inositol monophosphate (IP1), and inositol bisphosphate (IP2) increased. 6) In response to 20 mM glucose plus 1 mM cold inositol, islet levels of free inositol increased, whereas islet levels of IP1, IP2, and inositol trisphosphate (IP3) were reduced compared with values obtained with 20 mM glucose alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Comparison of growth-induced resorption and denervation-induced resorption on the release of [3H]tetracycline, 45calcium, and [3H]collagen from whole bones of growing rats

The major effect of immobilization during growth is a smaller bone mass induced by either an increased bone resorption or a decreased bone formation. Using a method of analyzing radioisotopic loss of [3H]tetracycline and [3H]collagen from bone prelabeled in vivo, we compared the amount of bone resorption due to immobilization with bone resorption induced by growth. One hind limb was denervated in growing male rats, 6 weeks of age, that had been chronically prelabeled with [3H]tetracycline, 45calcium, and [3H]proline. The total radioactivity of the whole femur and tibia/fibula from the denervated limb was compared with that from bones of the control limb at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after denervation. The effect of growth on bone formation was measured by net increases in bone length, volume, and mass of matrix and mineral. Experimental bones had a significantly smaller volume and mass. Bone resorption was much greater during growth modeling than during denervation. The additional bone resorption induced by denervation was a small fraction (one-fourth) of the resorption induced by growth. Denervation during growth resulted in less bone being formed due to a smaller gain in matrix and mineral mass as a result of a reduction in bone formation.     

Short-term effects of cyclosporine on secretagogue-induced insulin release by isolated islets

Brief exposure (30 min) of isolated islets to 0.5 microgram/ml cyclosporine leads to alterations in the insulin secretory response to selected stimuli. When glucose is used as the secretagogue, cyclosporine slightly stimulates insulin release at substimulatory concentrations of the hexose. The inhibitory effect predominates, however, at stimulatory concentrations of glucose with a threshold at 6 mmol/L glucose and maximal inhibition of 33.5 mmol/L glucose. By contrast, insulin release induced by 17 mmol/L arginine is not affected. Cyclosporine also inhibits by 66% the insulin secretory response to 100 nmol/L phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, suggesting that either cyclosporine interferes with phorbol ester action on beta cells or the action site is located beyond the protein kinase C activation. On the other hand ionomycin-stimulated insulin response is also blocked by cyclosporine, indicating that insulin release induced by transient changes in cytosolic Ca++ is also affected. The evidence gathered here suggests that the inhibitory effect of cyclosporine on insulin release is apparent when glucose is used as a fuel stimulant and is reversed following removal of the stimulant. This effect is not reversed by using substances known to activate the protein kinase C or the Ca(++)-dependent branches of the stimulus-secretion coupling system in beta cells, indicating that the site of action of cyclosporine on pancreatic islets might be located in distal steps of the stimulus-secretion coupling of glucose-induced insulin release.     

Effect of dynorphin on insulin and somatostatin secretion, calcium uptake, and c-AMP levels in isolated rat islets of Langerhans

Dynorphin-[1-13], at concentrations of 5.8 X 10(-12) to 5.8 X 10(-9) M, stimulated insulin secretion from isolated islets of Langerhans of the rat, in medium containing 6 mM glucose. Higher concentrations of dynorphin had no significant effect on secretion. Dynorphin (5.8 X 10(-9) M) was unable to initiate insulin release from islets in the presence of 2 mM glucose, or to increase insulin secretion further in the presence of 20 mM glucose or 6 and 12 mM glyceraldehyde. Dynorphin-induced insulin secretion from islets was blocked by verapamil (5 microM) or by chlorpropamide (72 microM), but not by a mu opiate receptor antagonist, naloxone (0.11 microM), or by ICI 154129, a specific antagonist for the delta receptor (0.25 microM). Dynorphin had no effect on islet somatostatin secretion, under conditions in which insulin secretion was greatly stimulated. Glucose (20 mM) and glyceraldehyde (6 and 12 mM) significantly increased both insulin and somatostatin secretion. Dynorphin (5.8 X 10(-9) M) increased 45Ca2+ uptake into islets, and also increased intracellular islet c-AMP levels. These changes persisted when higher concentrations of dynorphin were used. These results suggest that (1) dynorphin is a very potent stimulus for insulin secretion; (2) dynorphin does not affect somatostatin secretion in static incubations of islets, in the same way as does glucose and glyceraldehyde; (3) dynorphin's effects may involve increased calcium ion movement and can be blocked by verapamil; (4) dynorphin can also increase islet c-AMP, and could thereby modulate the responsiveness of other secretagogues; (5) the actions of dynorphin on insulin secretion are not mediated by delta or mu opiate receptors in islets.     

Effect of alginate-polylysine-alginate microencapsulation on in vitro insulin release from rat pancreatic islets

We investigated the effect of alginate-polylysine-alginate microencapsulation on glucose-induced insulin secretion by rat islets. Applying the encapsulation method originally described by Lim, we found severely reduced in vitro insulin release (expressed as picomoles of insulin.10 islets-1.45 min-1 when incubated in 16.5 mM glucose), because the insulin release with encapsulated islets was 1.42 +/- 0.49 compared to 13.58 +/- 0.80 with free control islets. This could not be explained by inadequate permeability of the capsule, because insulin release was also severely reduced (2.12 +/- 0.61) when islets were subjected to the procedure but without the membrane-forming polylysine step. Therefore, islets were tested after having been subjected separately to each of the steps of the procedure. Insulin release was not affected by either alginate or CaCl2 but was severely reduced after prolonged suspension in saline or treatment with citrate. When saline and citrate were replaced by Ca2(+)-free Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer (KRBB) and 1 mM EGTA, respectively, insulin release improved significantly both with complete and with incomplete (no polylysine step) encapsulation. This outcome was verified in a set of experiments run in parallel with islets derived from the same isolation procedure. Insulin release was 1.20 +/- 0.23 from islets encapsulated with the method of Lim and 10.73 +/- 1.04 from free control islets. With the modified procedure, insulin release was 9.17 +/- 0.52 vs. 9.61 +/- 1.27 for complete versus incomplete encapsulation, respectively. We conclude that Ca2(+)-free KRBB instead of saline and EGTA instead of citrate should be used to obtain an adequate insulin response from encapsulated islets and that the capsule membrane as such has no influence on glucose and insulin diffusion.     

Evidence that cholecystokinin interacts with specific receptors and regulates insulin release in isolated rat islets of Langerhans

To determine the nature of the pancreatic islet cell cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor, we studied CCK receptor binding and biologic activity in isolated rat pancreatic islets. Binding of 70 pM 125I-CCK to collagenase-prepared isolated rat pancreatic islets at 24 degrees C was one-half maximal after 5 min and maximal at 60 min. At 60 min, specific binding was 12% of total radioactivity per 100 micrograms islet protein; nonspecific binding (in the presence of 1 microM CCK 8) was less than 2% of total radioactivity. Unlabeled CCK 33 inhibited labeled hormone binding one-half maximally at 2 nM; Scatchard analysis showed one binding site (Kd, 2.3 +/- 0.4 nM; Bmax, 8.1 pmol/mg protein). The agonist selectivity of this binding site was: CCK 8 = CCK 33 greater than desulfated-CCK 8 greater than CCK 4. Two CCK antagonists were studied; N-carbobenzoxy-L-tryptophan was more potent than dibutyryl-cGMP. When the effect of CCK on insulin release from the islets was studied, the order of potency of CCK agonists and antagonists on insulin secretion was the same as the order of their ability to inhibit 125I-CCK binding. The effect of CCK on insulin secretion was dependent on the glucose concentration in the media. CCK had no effect at 5.6 mM glucose and was fully effective at 11.0 mM glucose. These data, therefore, indicate that: specific binding sites for CCK are present in rat pancreatic beta cells; and CCK acts in concert with glucose to stimulate insulin secretion.     

Chloride modulation of insulin release, 86Rb+ efflux, and 45Ca2+ fluxes in rat islets stimulated by various secretagogues

Substitution of extracellular Cl- by impermeant isethionate (5 mM residual Cl-) caused a monophasic inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin release, accompanied by an initial transient increase and a secondary lasting decrease in 86Rb+ efflux from perifused islets. Cl- reintroduction restored insulin release with an overshoot above control values and successively produced a small decrease and a large increase in efflux. Theophylline potentiated the insulinotropic effect of glucose more markedly at low Cl- than at normal Cl-, but did not restore a normal rate of 86Rb+ efflux. Lowering the concentration of Cl- did not alter the effect of glucose, tolbutamide, or arginine on 86Rb+ efflux, but simply shifted the efflux rates to lower values. The first phase of glucose-stimulated insulin release was not modified, but the second phase was inhibited. The insulinotropic effect of tolbutamide was augmented at low Cl- and that of arginine (at 7 mM glucose) was not affected. In incubated islets, the stimulation of insulin release by glyceraldehyde was barely inhibited when Cl- was substituted by isethionate and the marked decrease of the effect of glucose could be prevented by glutamine. In a glucose-free, low Cl- medium, the insulinotropic effect of leucine, arginine, and lysine was inhibited; this inhibition was reversed by glutamine, but not by theophylline. Lowering the concentration of Cl- had no effect on 45Ca2+ influx or efflux in the absence of glucose, did not alter the increase in influx and efflux during the first 5 min of glucose stimulation, but impaired both influx and efflux during the second phase. Leucine-induced 45Ca2+ uptake was inhibited at low Cl- and this inhibition was prevented by glutamine. In conclusion, islet cells possess a Cl- -activated modality of K efflux, which does not seem to play a role in the stimulus-secretion coupling. Since Cl- substitution by an impermeant anion does not inhibit the stimulation of insulin release by all agents, the role of Cl- ions does not appear to be restricted to a chemiosmotic mechanism of exocytosis. No single mechanism explains the multiple changes in B-cell function resulting from the decrease in Cl- concentration, but it is proposed that some of them could result from modifications of intracellular pH.     

Stimulation of insulin secretion from isolated rat islets by SaRI 59-801

Oral administration of SaRI 59-801 (DL-alpha-[dimethylaminomethyl]-2-[3-ethyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl]-1H- indole-3-methanol) has been reported to decrease blood glucose in several species and to elevate plasma insulin in rats and mice. In studies with isolated rat pancreatic islets incubated 1 h with 3 mM glucose, 0.05 mM 59-801 produced a significant increase in insulin secretion, and 0.3 mM produced maximum release. 59-801 (0.3 mM) stimulated insulin release 4-5-fold from islets incubated with 0, 3, or 5 mM glucose but had little effect on the high rates of release obtained at 10 or 20 mM glucose. Ten millimolar mannoheptulose, which inhibits phosphorylation of glucose and blocks glucose-stimulated insulin release, had little effect on the stimulation of insulin release by 0.3 mM 59-801 from islets incubated with 3 mM glucose. Stimulation of insulin release in the absence of glucose or in the presence of 3 mM glucose plus 10 mM mannoheptulose suggests that glucose metabolism is not required for the action of 59-801. The rate of conversion of 5 mM [5(-3)H]-glucose to 3H2O by islets, a measure of the rate of glycolysis, was not affected by 59-801. The potency, dependency on glucose concentration, lack of inhibition by mannoheptulose, and lack of effect on glycolysis of 59-801 were similar to that of tolbutamide. However, proinsulin synthesis by islets incubated with 5.55 mM glucose was not affected by 0.5 mM 59-801, but was inhibited 72% and 67% by 0.5 mM tolbutamide and 0.1 mM glibenclamide, respectively.     

Stimulation of insulin secretion from isolated rat islets by SaRI 59-801. Relation to cAMP concentration and Ca2+ uptake

The mechanism of stimulation of insulin release from isolated rat islets by 0.3 mM SaRI 59-801 (DL-alpha-dimethylaminomethyl-2-[ 3-ethyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazoyl]-1H-indole-3-methanol) was investigated, considering cAMP concentration and Ca2+ uptake. Ten millimolar theophylline or 1 mM 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine, which inhibit cAMP phosphodiesterase, each greatly increased the stimulation of insulin release by 59-801. Forskolin (0.1 mM), an activator of adenylate cyclase, or 1 mM dibutyryl cAMP also potentiated 59-801, suggesting that 59-801 does not elevate islet cAMP but is potentiated by other compounds that do. Measurement of cAMP in islets by radioimmunoassay confirmed that it was not significantly elevated by 59-801 but was increased sevenfold by forskolin or 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine. SaRI 59-801 was not effective in the absence of Ca2+ and presence of 1 mM EGTA. Agents that block entry of Ca2+ into beta-cells, verapamil, nifedipine, or CoCl2, inhibited the release of insulin in response to 59-801. Studies of 45Ca2+ uptake by isolated islets revealed an increased uptake in the presence of 59-801 and blockage of this effect by 50 microM verapamil. Thus, the stimulation of insulin secretion by 59-801 appears to involve a stimulation of Ca2+ uptake rather than an increase of cAMP concentration. The mechanism of stimulation of Ca2+ uptake by 59-801 requires further investigation.     

Effect of muscimol on glucose-stimulated somatostatin and insulin release from the isolated, perfused rat pancreas

This study examines the effect of muscimol, a high affinity, specific gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist, on glucose-stimulated somatostatin and insulin release from the isolated, perfused rat pancreas. Perfusion with low glucose (50 mg/dl) conditions resulted in basal somatostatin release of 46 +/- 4 pg/ml. Basal insulin release was less than 20 microU/ml. High glucose (300 mg/dl) conditions stimulated somatostatin and insulin release. Steady-state levels of somatostatin and insulin release under high glucose conditions were 425 +/- 12 pg/ml and 419 +/- 18 microU/ml, respectively. Perfusion with medium containing 1 microM muscimol inhibited glucose-stimulated somatostatin release by 38%, whereas the course of glucose-stimulated insulin release was unaffected. Tentative conclusions from this study are (1) that GABA is potentially a modulator of islet somatostatin but not insulin release, and (2) the fact that somatostatin, an inhibitor of insulin, can be suppressed 38% without coincidental increase in insulin release seems to indicate that, under high glucose conditions, somatostatin is without a significant paracrine effect on the beta-cells.     

Abnormalities in glucose-stimulated insulin release, 45Ca uptake, and 86Rb efflux in diabetic Chinese hamster islets

We loaded islets from normal and diabetic Chinese hamsters with 86Rb (an analogue for K+) and measured 86Rb efflux during stimulation with 20 mM D-glucose. Genetically diabetic Chinese hamsters were selected from a subline (L) known for subnormal pancreatic insulin release and excessive pancreatic glucagon release in vitro. 86Rb accumulation in 1 mM glucose was normal in the diabetic islets. Similar to the pattern of 86Rb efflux previously seen from normal rat and mouse islets, 20 mM glucose suppressed 86Rb efflux within 1-2 min, and efflux remained suppressed until return to 1 mM glucose in both normal and diabetic hamster islets. After the first 2 min of 20 mM glucose, suppression of 86Rb efflux was somewhat greater in the diabetic hamster islets than in the normals. In addition, glucose-stimulated insulin release and 45Ca uptake were significantly reduced in the diabetic islets. Therefore, in the diabetic hamster islets, there is at least no impairment in the initial suppression of 86Rb efflux by glucose. This suggests that the diabetic beta-cells recognize glucose and carry out the initial steps in the stimulus-secretion coupling sequence normally. The later, excessive suppression of 86Rb efflux may be due to impaired Ca2+-induced changes in 86Rb efflux, suggesting that defective regulation of intracellular Ca2+ activity, rather than defective regulation of K+ permeability, may lead to the impaired insulin secretion.     

Effect of norepinephrine on insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin secretion in isolated perifused rat islets.

The rate of insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin secretion was measured from isolated rat islets maintained in a perifusion system. The effect of norepinephrine (NE) was simultaneously determined on the release rate of all three hormones. Norepinephrine was employed at an acute dose of 10 micrometers and in graded doses from 1 nM to 10 micrometers in the presence of high (22 mM) and low (1.4 mM) glucose conditions, insulin secretion was maximally inhibited at 10 micrometers NE concentration and was significantly depressed at 100 mM NE concentration. Under both high and low glucose conditions, glucagon release was maximally stimulated at 10 micrometers NE concentration and was significantly elevated at 10 nM NE concentration. Under high and low glucose conditions, somatostatin release was inhibited by 10 micrometers NE concentration and was significantly depressed at 100 nM NE concentration. During the initial maximal stimulation of glucagon, NE inhibition of somatostatin and insulin was prevented, possibly by the high level of glucagon released. A paracrine effect of glucagon on beta and delta cells is proposed.