Effect of streptozotocin administration on somatostatin content of pancreas and hypothalamus in rats.

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Abstract
A radioimmunoassay (RIA) method for somatostatin (SRIF) utilizing rabbit antiserum against synthetic SRIF coupled with human serum .alpha.-globulin is described. Synthetic N.alpha.-tyrosylated SRIF was labeled with 125I using the lactoperoxidase method and purified on a Sephadex G-10 column. This assay system was highly specific for SRIF and did not cross-react with hypothalamic tropic hormones, pituitary tropic hormones or gastrointestinal hormones. The effect of streptozotocin induced diabetes on the SRIF content was examined in the pancreas, the pancreatic islets, and the hypothalamus of rats. SRIF content in both the pancreas and islets of the diabetic rats was shown by RIA to have significantly increased. The content in the hypothalamus of the diabetic rats did not differ from that of the control. The physiological and pathophysiological significance of the SRIF changes remains to be determined.