Improvement in glucose tolerance of diabetic dogs after implantation of neonatal pancreatic fragments.
Minced neonatal pancreatic tissue from 3-6 canine littermates was placed in the peritoneal cavity of five alloxan diabetic dogs without separation of endocrine and exocrine tissue. Fasting blood glucose levels declined from a preimplant level of 211 +/- 57 mg/dl to 111 +/- 6 mg/dl. The maximum blood glucose following a glucose challenge declined from 387 +/- 26 mg/dl to 175 +/- 37 mg/dl. These levels were slightly higher than the 92 +/- 6 mg/dl fasting and 140 +/- 34 mg/dl maximum obtained in control dogs. Insulin levels before implant ranged from 6 to 11 microU/ml and showed no response to a glucose challenge. Insulin responses to a glucose challenge after implant were variable. Three of the dogs showed some hyperinsulinemia without hypoglycemia. Another dog showed a delayed insulin response of normal magnitude. Improvement in glucose tolerance lasted for 2-6 weeks. These results indicate that neonatal tissue can survive and function within the peritoneal cavity. It was not necessary to obtain isolated islets to achieve hormone secretion. However, additional purification may be needed to decrease the side effects of acinar enzymes.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006085:Graft Survival; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin