Abstract
The effect of the control of diabetes with diet and insulin upon plasma levels of human pancreatic polypeptide and glucagon was determined in eight patients with Type 2 (insulin independent) diabetes mellitus. The mean±SEM fasting plasma glucose was 15.9±1.3mmol/l for 5 days of diet treatment and 5.9±0.4 mmol/l for the last 5 days of treatment with diet plus insulin (p < 0.0001); corresponding fasting plasma pancreatic polypeptide levels were 328±97 and 247±71 pg/ml (p < 0.05) and immunoreactive glucagon levels were 95±11 and 62±6 pg/ml (p < 0.005). Cooked ground beef was administered on the first day of diet treatment and on the last day of treatment with diet plus insulin; mean maximal rise of pancreatic polypeptide, and total and incremental plasma pancreatic polypeptide response areas were significantly lower following treatment (p < 0.01), as was total area for immunoreactive glucagon (p < 0.05). Normalisation of fasting plasma glucose by short-term treatment with diet plus insulin is associated with decreases in basal and stimulated secretory activity of the pancreatic polypeptide cells in insulin independent diabetes mellitus.