Effects of short-term and prolonged infusions of somatostatin on endocrine pancreas, body weight and food intake in rats

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Abstract
Infusion of cyclic somatostatin (700 ng/kg per min) for 4 h in rats fed ad lib suppressed basal insulin, but not glucagon release. It was accompanied by hypoglycemia during the 1st h. At the end of infusion, hyperglycemia was present. The same dose of somatostatin applied 60 min prior to and during a 30 min load of glucose or Arg significantly inhibited their effects on insulin and glucagon release. When this dose of somatostatin was given during 24 h by i.v. route it did not inhibit glucose induced insulin release though circulating somatostatin levels were constantly elevated. In rats continuously infused with somatostatin for 4 days, no effect was found on plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, glucagon, growth hormone and cAMP or body weight gain, food consumption or water intake. Pancreases showed normal concentrations of insulin and glucagon. In short-term experiments in rats, somatostatin influenced insulin and glucagon release and glucose homeostasis. During prolonged i.v. adminstration of somatostatin, rats developed mechanisms counteracting effect of peptide (peripheral tachyphylaxis).