title: Immunohistochemical localization of D-alanine to beta-cells in rat pancreas.
abstract: A mouse monoclonal antibody against D-alanine (D-Ala) has been raised and the immunohistochemical localization of this D-amino acids in the rat pancreas is visualized. The obtained anti-D-Ala monoclonal antibody has no significant cross-reactivity to all proteinogenic L-amino acids and their D-enantiomers. Using this antibody, immunohistochemical staining was performed on the pancreas, and specific staining for d-Ala has been observed only in the Langerhans islets. To identify the types of D-Ala-immunopositive cells, double staining was carried out with antibodies against D-Ala and pancreatic hormones. Similar immunostaining patterns have been observed for D-Ala and insulin, while D-Ala is hardly co-localized with other hormones (glucagon, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptide). These results indicate for the first time that D-Ala is localized to insulin producing beta-cells in mammalian pancreas, suggesting that this D-amino acid would be involved in the regulation of the blood glucose level.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morikawa
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamase
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohgusu
authors.forename: Sachise
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Etoh
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Koshiishi
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoyama
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zaitsu
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D000409:Alanine