Antral Endocrine Cells in Nonobese Diabetic Mice

The antral endocrine cells were investigated innonobese diabetic (NOD) mice by means ofimmunohistochemistry, image analysis, andradioimmunoassays (RIA). As controls BALB/CJ mice of thesame age and sex as the NOD mice were used. The number ofgastrin- and somatostatin-immunoreactive cells wassignificantly decreased in both prediabetic and diabeticmice. There was no statistical difference between the NOD mice and controls regarding theserotonin-immunoreactive cells. Somatostatin levels asrevealed by RIA in the antrum of both prediabetic anddiabetic NOD mice were lower than those of the controls. There was no statistical difference in thelevel of antral gastrin between NOD mice and thecontrols. It was concluded that the changes in antralcells are primary to the onset of diabetes, and that the abnormalities observed in the antral cells inan animal model for diabetes type I might have relevancefor the upper gastrointestinal dysfunction displayed inhuman diabetes.