Relationship between the histopathology of the endocrine-exocrine pancreas parenchyma and beta-cell function in the Chinese hamster CHIG/Han subline.
To investigate pancreatic histopathology in relation to islet function in type 2 diabetes, pancreatic tissue was examined at disease onset and after death in the genetically diabetic Chinese hamster CHIG/Han subline. The pancreatic islets displayed vacuolation, intraislet fibrosis, variable stages of degranulation, and beta-cell necrosis, but no insulitis. These lesions were associated with changes in immunostaining of major islet peptides, impaired glucose-stimulated (10 mM) insulin secretion, reduced islet insulin content, and the severity of hyperglycemia. The exocrine pancreas was characterized by peri- and intrapancreatic fat and mononuclear cell infiltration. Biopsy of the pancreas had a marked effect on plasma glucose such that at 2 weeks after excision, in 9 and 18% of the severely hyperglycemic hamsters, plasma glucose levels decreased to <7.2 and 15 mM, respectively, and 45% of the mildly hyperglycemic hamsters became transiently normoglycemic (<7.2 mM). The results showed that insulitis is not involved in beta-cell failure of diabetic CHIG/Han hamsters. Vacuolation of islets was the most prominent lesion associated with a functional islet abnormality and development of hyperglycemia. Attenuation of hyperglycemia after biopsy suggests that the pancreas, in type 2 diabetes, maintains the ability to respond to impairment with amelioration of the diabetic state.
Department of Pathophysiology, University of Greifswald, Karlsburg, Germany.
J
J
Kessler
B
B
Hehmke
I
I
Klöting
K D
KD
Kohnert
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002452:Cell Count; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000737:chemistry; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male
D001786:Blood Glucose; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D007328:Insulin; D001120:Arginine; D005947:Glucose