Insulin and glucagon secretion in essential fatty acid deficient rats

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Insulin and glucagon secretion in response to common secretagogues were ascertained in the perfused pancreas isolated from essential fatty acid deficient rats. The pattern of insulin secretory response to glucose (16.7 mmol/l) by isolated rat pancreas perfused for 30 min was biphasic in EFA-deficient and control rat pancreas. The amplitude of glucose-stimulated acute secretion (phase I) was significantly greater (p0.05). However, arginine (10 mmol/l)-stimulated insulin release was significantly higher in EFA-deficient than in control rats. Growth hormone (100 nmol/l)-induced glucagon and insulin secretion was variable in the two groups but significantly higher than basal secretion. The level of L-leucine (10 mmol/l)-stimulated glucagon and insulin secretion in EFA-deficient rats was minimal but significant. Our results show that isolated pancreata of rats devoid of precursors for endogenous prostaglandin synthesis secreted insulin and glucagon in response to common secretagogues. On the basis of our data, it is concluded that endogenous prostaglandins are probably not obligatory for normal secretory functions of islets of Langerhans.