EFFECTS OF STEROID-HORMONES ON DNA-SYNTHESIS AND INSULIN PRODUCTION OF ISOLATED FETAL-RAT PANCREATIC-ISLETS IN TISSUE-CULTURE

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 62  (3) , 210-213
Abstract
The effects of prednisolone estradiol-17B and progesterone on DNA replication and insulin biosynthesis and release of cultured fetal rat islets is described. Prednisolone significantly inhibited the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into DNA of islets cultured at a physiological (5.5 mmol/l) but not at a high (22 mmol/l) glucose concentration. It also increased insulin biosynthesis and release of islets cultured at 5.5 mmol/l glucose. Estradiol-17-B reduced the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into islet DNA at both glucose concentrations, but had no effect on insulin biosynthesis and release. Progesterone had no effect on either the growth or the function of the cultured fetal islets. The observations show a clear dissociation between the action of prednisolone on islet growth vs. islet function. They also support the view that neither progesterone nor estradiol is directly involved in the high rate of B-cell replication previously observed in islets of pregnant rats.

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