title: Parallel reduction of pancreas insulin content and insulin secretion in 48-h tolbutamide-infused normoglycemic rats.
abstract: The overworked-beta-cell hypothesis proposes that lowered glucose-potentiated insulin secretory responses in diabetes are secondary to hyperstimulated insulin secretion and depletion of the beta-cell insulin stores. We tested this hypothesis in normal rats using a 48-h infusion of 200 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1) tolbutamide in 20% glucose. Insulin secretion was measured by in vitro pancreas perfusion. Twice daily blood glucose values were equal in the tolbutamide-infused and control rats. Pancreas insulin content was 47 +/- 7% that of the controls (P < 0.004). Insulin responses to 16.7 mmol/l glucose, 16.7 mmol/l glucose/10 mmol/l arginine, and 5.5 mmol/l glucose/10 mmol/l arginine were reduced in parallel, except for the first phase response to 16.7 mmol/l glucose/arginine. Pancreas amylin content was unchanged in the tolbutamide-infused rats as was amylin secretion, resulting in higher than normal stored and secreted amylin-to-insulin molar ratios. Importantly, a raised amylin-to-insulin ratio and a relatively unimpaired first versus second phase insulin response for high glucose/arginine both occur in diabetic rats. Thus, our results support the overworked-beta-cell hypothesis by showing chronic beta-cell stimulation without hyperglycemia replicates part of the beta-cell dysfunction found with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus, and Molecular Medicine, New England Medical Center, and Tuft's University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Y A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Leahy
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007328:Insulin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014044:Tolbutamide / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D007328:Insulin; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D014044:Tolbutamide; D005947:Glucose