Radiation-induced Acute Necrosis of the Pancreatic Islet and the Diabetic Syndrome in the Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus Auratus)

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Abstract
Exposure of golden hamsters to 35,000 rad of X-rays induced acute and specific necrosis of the cells of the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas within 4 h; no other tissue revealed any drastic changes which would lead to a critical illness until 36 h. Animals began to show the characteristic signs of diabetes, that is, hyperglycemia, hyperkaliemia, ketonemia and acidosis at 12 h and these continued until death, 56 .+-. 8 h later. These were accompanied by the disappearance of .beta.-cell granules and a decrease of plasma insulin. Treatment of irradiated animals with injections of insulin resulted in a reduction in high blood glucose and the prolongation of survival time up to 5 days, which is comparable to the survival time when the cause of death is gastrointestinal. This radiation-induced diabetic syndrome resulted from acute necrosis of the cells of the islets of Langerhans, a previously unreported lethal effect of radiation in golden hamsters.