Reduced pancreatic insulin is associated with retarded growth of the pancreas in young prediabetic BB rats.
The beta-cell function in the perfused pancreas, the total pancreatic insulin content, and the weights of pancreas, kidney, spleen, and total body fat were compared at the age of 30 and 45 days in diabetes-prone and body weight-matched diabetes-resistant male BB rats. These inbred rats had an incidence rate of diabetes at 90 days of age of 80 and 0%, respectively. At day 30, the pancreatic insulin content was reduced in the diabetes-prone (n = 10) rats to 15 micrograms (range 7.7-31.8) compared with 32 micrograms (range 23.3-52.9) in the diabetes-resistant (n = 10) rats (p less than 0.01). Although the kinetics of insulin release in response to glucose was maintained, the amount of insulin released in the diabetes-prone rats was decreased (p less than 0.05) including the first peak (p less than 0.05). The weight of the spleen was less (p less than 0.05); whereas the weights of the pancreas, kidney, and total body fat did not differ from those observed in the diabetes-resistant control rats. At 45 days of age, the weight of the pancreas in the diabetes-prone rats (n = 8) was reduced to 159 mg (range 100-190) from 202 mg (range 185-214) (p less than 0.01). The body weight and body fat were identical to those observed in the diabetes-resistant controls (n = 8) and their kidney (p less than 0.05) and spleen (p less than 0.01) were larger. The insulin content was reduced to the same magnitude as the reduction of pancreatic weight.
Markholst
H
H
Hagedorn Research Laboratory, Gentofte, Denmark.
Lernmark
A
A
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000032:analysis; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight; D007328:Insulin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010179:Pancreas / Q000032:analysis / Q000254:growth & development*; D010477:Perfusion; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D011913:Rats, Inbred BB
D007328:Insulin