Immunoassay of Pancreatic and Plasma Insulin Following Alloxan Injection of Rats

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Abstract
Male rats of approximately 200 g. body weight were injected intravenously with alloxan (40 mg/kg body weight). Blood glucose determinations were carried out at periodic intervals. Plasma samples and acid alcohol extracts of pancreas were assayed by the 2 antibody method. Five animals were killed at each of the following times 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hr. The blood glucose concentrations were 3 times greater than the zero-hour values at each of the latter time periods. In spite of the hyperglycemia at 24 hr. there was only a slight decrease in the pancreatic insulin content at this time. Thereafter, the insulin content of pancreatic extracts decreased progressively with time, and at 96 hr. the insulin concentration was less than 10% value. The immunoassayable insulin concentration of the plasma did not increase as the pancreatic insulin decreased. These findings suggest that alloxan damaged beta cells did not release their insulin in response to hyperglycemia but that the insulin was destroyed within the beta cell.