Glucose turnover and insulin secretion in dogs with pancreatic allografts

Summary The endocrine function of pancreaticoduodenal allografts was studied in six dogs and compared with that of normal animals. The grafts were able to prevent the diabetic ketosis that was observed in a control group after total pancreatectomy without following transplantation. — Systemic hyperglycaemia enhanced the insulin release from the transplanted pancreas, as measured by increased IRI levels after intravenous glucose administration. In contrast, the stimulation of insulin secretion by oral glucose loading was less than in normal dogs, while the glucose assimilation was also increased in transplanted animals.-It was speculated that the duodenum might be more susceptible to immunological damage than the pancreas, and that consequently an impairment of the resorption of glucose and of the production of intestinal factors controlling the secretion of insulin may result.-In the near future, pancreatico-duodenal transplantation does not appears to become a therapeutical alternative to the conventional treatment of diabetes mellitus in man.