Islet auto-transplantation into an omental or splenic site results in a normal beta cell but abnormal alpha cell response to mild non-insulin-induced hypoglycemia.
The present studies were designed to determine if totally pancreatectomized dogs that underwent islet auto-transplantation retained a functional pancreatic counterregulatory response to mild non-insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Six dogs underwent total pancreatectomy followed by islet auto-transplantation to spleen or omentum. The animals recovered and fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels were normal. Each study consisted of a 40-min control and 2-h test period. At the onset of the test period, a glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor was administered to create mild hypoglycemia. Plasma glucose in the transplanted dogs fell from 120 +/- 4 to 80 +/- 3 mg/dL, similar to the minimum in control dogs without islet auto-transplantation (108 +/- 2 to 84 +/- 5 mg/dL). The fall in plasma insulin was similar in both groups. Glucagon, however, rose in response to hypoglycemia in the control dogs (Delta24 +/- 7 pg/mL; p < 0.05), but failed to rise significantly in the transplanted dogs (Delta9 +/- 6 pg/mL). In fact, only 1 of 7 control dogs failed to increase plasma glucagon by at least 25%, whereas 4 of 6 transplanted dogs failed to do so. In conclusion, in conscious dogs with successfully auto-transplanted islets, the beta cell response to mild non-insulin-induced hypoglycemia was normal, whereas the alpha cell response was not.
Gustavson
Stephanie M
SM
Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Rajotte
Ray V
RV
Hunkeler
David
D
Lakey
Jonathan R T
JR
Edgerton
Dale S
DS
Neal
Doss W
DW
Snead
Wanda L
WL
Penaloza
Angelina R
AR
Cherrington
Alan D
AD
D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001120:Arginine / Q000737:chemistry; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000378:metabolism; D050416:Glucagon-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D024981:Glycogen Phosphorylase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006085:Graft Survival; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000473:pathology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology*; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D005934:Glucagon; D001120:Arginine; D024981:Glycogen Phosphorylase