Role of the pituitary in cyproheptadine-induced pancreatic beta-cell toxicity.
Hypophysectomized rats given cyproheptadine (40 mg/kg) for 10 days exhibited a loss of pancreatic immunoreactive insulin and ultrastructural changes in the cytoplasm of beta-cells. Sham-operated animals given cyproheptadine showed identical changes in pancreatic beta-cells except that cytoplasmic involvement progressed to the formation of large vacuoles. The pituitary is not directly involved with the cyproheptadine-induced depletion of pancreatic insulin but plays a role in the formation of large cytoplasmic vacuoles.
D000818:Animals; D003533:Cyproheptadine / Q000633:toxicity*; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats
D007328:Insulin; D003533:Cyproheptadine