title: Interaction of alloxan and anomers of D-glucose on glucose-induced insulin secretion and biosynthesis in vitro.
abstract: The direct effects of alloxan on glucose-induced insulin secretion and biosynthesis and the interaction of alloxan and D-glucose anomers were studied in vitro by use of isolated islets from rat pancreas. Islets were pretreated by incubation for five minutes in media containing alloxan (0.2 mg./ml.) alone or alloxan with either the alpha or beta anomer of D-glucose (3 mg./ml.). After washing, batches of five islets were incubated in the medium supplemented with glucose (1.8 mg./ml.) for 60 minutes to observe insulin secretion and for 90 minutes to observe insulin biosynthesis. Prior exposure to alloxan alone produced marked inhibition of subsequent glucose-induced insulin secretion and biosynthesis. A significantly greater protection against these inhibitory effects of alloxan was observed by using the alpha anomer of D-glucose than the beta anomer. The anomeric preference of D-glucose for protecting islet cells from the inhibitory effect of alloxan on glucose-induced insulin secretion and biosynthesis was similar to that for triggering insulin secretion. Possible mechanisms of the inhibitory effect of alloxan and the protective effect of D-glucose anomers in connection with those of other sugars are discussed. It is suggested that a glucoreceptor, stereospecific to the alpha anomer of D-glucose, may exist for both insulin secretion and biosynthesis.
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007536:Isomerism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000187:drug effects; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D000496:Alloxan; D005947:Glucose