Somatostatin secretion in diabetic rabbits.
Glucose, somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI), and glucagon were measured in the portal vein during a glucose infusion (0.5 mg/kg) in 9 diabetic and 7 normal rabbits. The diabetic animals were from a colony of New Zealand white rabbits which develop spontaneous hyperglycemia characterized by low basal and stimulated serum insulin levels and lack of obesity. SLI and insulin were also extracted from pancreatic islets isolated from the diabetic and normal animals. The concentrations of SLI and glucagon, although quite variable, were similar in the portal and peripheral plasma in diabetic and control animals. The insulin content/islet was moderately decreased in the diabetic rabbits, however the content of insulin/microgram protein was similar to the controls. In contrast, SLI content/islet was no different than controls, but was increased when expressed/microgram of protein. Thus, this rabbit colony develops diabetes characterized by some decrease in beta cell mass. The remaining beta cells appear to have a severe defect in the release of insulin.
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000032:analysis; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000032:analysis; D011817:Rabbits; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D013004:Somatostatin; D005934:Glucagon