title: Growth hormone stimulates islet B-cell replication in neonatal rat pancreatic monolayer cultures.
abstract: A possible role for growth hormone (GH) in stimulating islet B-cell replication was examined in neonatal rat pancreatic monolayer cultures. Addition of ovine GH (1000 ng/ml) to serum-free medium for 2 days resulted in a significant increase (+114%) in [3H]thymidine labeling of B-cells in aldehyde-thionine-stained autoradiographs, and a similar increase in the B-cell mitotic index. The stimulatory effects of GH on islet B-cell replication were greatest in serum-free medium, unaffected by glucose concentrations (2.8--16.7 mM), and not accompanied by any stimulation of insulin release. The threshold concentration of GH for a significant stimulatory effect on B-cell replication was 30 ng/ml. The insulin-like growth factor, multiplication stimulating activity (MSA), also effectively stimulated B-cell replication. Although some effects of GH are mediated by the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), the effects of GH on B-cell replication did not appear to be mediated by IGFs since (1) the maximal effect of GH (+156%) was significantly greater than that of MSA (+91%); (2) the combination of maximal stimulatory concentrations of GH and MSA produced an additive effect; and (3) a significant effect of GH on B-cell replication was observed as early (8 h) as that produced by MSA. These results suggest that GH can stimulate islet B-cell replication directly, and that this effect may not depend on production of either insulin-like growth factors.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development; D002455:Cell Division; D046508:Culture Techniques; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D010455:Peptides; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013936:Thymidine