Secretion and effect of somatostatin in early stages of the diabetic syndrome in C57BL/KsJ-mdb mice

Summary In a previous study in C57BL/KsJ (mdb) mice aged 12 to 90 days, we observed alterations in the secretion of insulin and somatostatin and in the inhibitory effect of the latter upon insulin secretion. This study explores whether hormonal alterations are to be found in the very early stages of the diabetic syndrome, i. e. between ages 4 and 12 days. The results demonstrate two distinct phases in the development of the syndrome: (a) up to age 6 days, the perifused slices of pancreata of control animals present biphasic glucose-induced patterns of insulin and somatostatin secretion, whereas the diabetic animals show a diminished first peak of insulin secretion, but a similar pattern of somatostatin secretion, to that of the control animals; (b) between ages 7 and 12 days, the pancreata of diabetic mice exhibit insulin hypersecretion in basal conditions, and an absence of the first secretion peak and insulin hypersecretion in the second phase in response to glucose stimulation. The glucose-induced pattern of somatostatin secretion presents hormonal hypersecretion in both phases. B-cell sensitivity to the inhibitory effect of somatostatin is diminished in mdb mice of the above-mentioned groups, an alteration which becomes more evident as diabetes evolves. The results show that, in very early stages of the evolution of the diabetic syndrome in C57BL/KsJ (mdb) mice, there are already alterations in insulin and somatostatin secretion patterns and in the inhibitory effect of the latter on insulin secretion.