链脲佐菌素诱导糖尿病大鼠胰腺外分泌部A、B细胞密度的变化

本文应用A蛋白金银—过氧化物酶抗过氧化物酶(PAGS-PAP)双重染色法,观察了链脲佐菌素(streptozotocin,STZ)诱导的糖尿病大鼠胰腺外分泌部含高血糖素的单个A细胞(单A细胞)及合胰岛素的单个B细胞(单B细胞)密度的变化.在一次大剂量腹腔注射STZ后第5天和第10天,大鼠胰腺外分泌部单A细胞密度较对照组大鼠增加,而单B细胞密度在注射STZ后第5天较对照组大鼠减少,但在第15天与对照组大鼠接近.在第15天,一些单B细胞分布在靠近胰岛的腺泡中,岛周腺泡含单B细胞的胰岛百分率明显高于对照组.由于胰腺外分泌部的单A、单B细胞在分布特征上与中间细胞相似,在糖尿病时其数量变化也与中间细胞一致,因此,本研究所观察到的单A、单B细胞与前人报道的中间细胞有密切关系.上述单A、单B细胞密度的变化提示,在STZ诱导的糖尿病大鼠,胰腺中的B细胞被STZ破坏后,其外分泌部可能有某些细胞通过中间细胞向单A、单B细胞发生了转化或者单A、单B细胞即此转化过程中的中间细胞.     

Pancreatic fate of a (125)I-labelled mouse monoclonal antibody directed against pancreatic B-cell surface ganglioside(s) in control and diabetic rats

The possible use of a mouse monoclonal antibody directed against rat pancreatic B-cell surface ganglioside(s) and labelled with radioactive iodine for selective imaging of the endocrine pancreas by a non-invasive procedure was investigated by following its pancreatic fate in experiments conducted either in vitro by incubation of rat isolated pancreatic islets, acinar tissue and pancreatic pieces or in vivo after intravenous injection of the (125)I-labelled antibodies ([(125)I]gamma-G). Although the binding of [(125)I]gamma-G per microg protein was about one order of magnitude higher in isolated islets than in acinar tissue, no significant difference was detected when comparing pancreatic pieces or isolated islets from control animals and rats rendered diabetic by one or two prior administrations of streptozotocin (STZ rats). Likewise, except in one set of experiments, no significant difference was found between control animals and STZ rats, when measuring the radioactive content of the pancreatic gland, relative to that of plasma, 1-4 days after the intravenous injection of [(125)I]gamma-G. These findings indicate that under the present experimental conditions, the mouse monoclonal antibody labelled with radioactive iodine does not appear to be a promising tool for selective imaging of the endocrine pancreas, e.g. by single photon emission computerized tomography.     

Chronic Treatment with the AMP-Kinase Activator AICAR Increases Glycogen Storage and Fatty Acid Oxidation in Skeletal Muscles but Does Not Reduce Hyperglucagonemia and Hyperglycemia in Insulin Deficient Rats

This study tested whether the glycogen-accumulating effect of chronic in vivo pharmacological 5′AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation could improve glycemic control under conditions of insulin deficiency. Male Wistar rats were rendered diabetic through the administration of streptozotocin (STZ) and then treated for 7 consecutive days with the AMPK activator 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR). Subsequently, glycogen content and synthesis, glucose oxidation, and fatty acid oxidation (FAO) were determined in oxidative and glycolytic skeletal muscles. Glycemia, insulinemia, glucagonemia, and circulating triglycerides (TG) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) were measured after AICAR treatment. Insulin was almost undetectable in STZ rats and these animals were severely hyperglycemic. Glycogen content was markedly low mainly in glycolytic muscles of STZ rats and AICAR treatment restored it to control values. No differences were found among all muscles studied with regards to the content and phosphorylation of Akt/protein kinase B and glycogen synthase kinase 3. Even though glycogen synthase content was reduced in all muscles from STZ rats, insulin-induced dephosphorylation/activation of this enzyme was preserved and unaffected by AICAR treatment. Glucagon and NEFAS were 2- and 7.4-fold fold higher in STZ rats than controls, respectively. AICAR did not affect hyperglycemia and hyperglucagonemia in STZ rats; however, it normalized circulating NEFAs and significantly increased FAO in glycolytic muscles. In conclusion, even though AICAR-induced AMPK activation enhanced glycogen accumulation in glycolytic muscles and normalized circulating NEFAs and TG levels, the hyperglycemic effects of glucagon likely offset the potentially glucose-lowering effects of AICAR, resulting in no improvement of glycemic control in insulin-deficient rats.     

Effect of potato inhibitor of proteolytic enzymes on activity and morphology of the rat pancreas.

The effect of the inhibitor of proteolytic enzymes present in potatoes on morphology and activity of the rat pancreas was investigated administering the inhibitor with drinking water in doses of 50 and 100 mg to two groups of rats for 20 days. On the 21st day the exocrine activity of the pancreas was evaluated by the method of duodenal perfusion after previous hormonal stimulation of pancreatic secretion (secretin and cholecystokinin-pancreozymin 1 U CHR/100 g body weight), while morphology of the organ was assessed by histological methods. It was found that the inhibitor exerts a trophic effect on the rat pancreas, causing hypertrophy of acinar cells and raising the exocrine activity of the gland. The higher dose of the inhibitor had a more pronounced trophic effect.     

Pancreatic fate of D-[3H] mannoheptulose

D-Mannoheptulose was recently postulated to be transported into cells by GLUT2. The validity of such an hypothesis was assessed by comparing the uptake of tritiated D-mannoheptulose by pancreatic islets versus pieces of pancreas and, in the latter case, by comparing results obtained in control rats versus animals injected with streptozotocin (STZ). The uptake of D-[3H] mannoheptulose by islets represents a time-related and temperature-sensitive process, inhibited by cytochalasin B and enhanced by D-glucose. The uptake of the tritiated heptose was much lower in pieces of pancreatic tissue and inhibited by D-glucose, at least in the STZ rats. Whether in pieces of pancreas exposed in vitro to D-[3H] mannoheptulose or after intravenous injection of the tritiated heptose, the radioactive content of the pancreatic tissue was lower in STZ rats than in control animals. This contrasted with an unaltered radioactive content of liver and muscle in the STZ rats, at least when treated with insulin. Suitably radiolabelled D-mannoheptulose or an analogue of the heptose could thus conceivably be used for quantification of the endocrine pancreatic mass.     

Recovery of exocrine pancreas six months following pancreatitis induction with L-arginine in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

The aim of the present work was to investigate the laboratory and morphologic alterations in the pancreas 6 months after pancreatitis induction with L-arginine (Arg) in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. The amylase content of the pancreas was significantly decreased in the Arg-treated groups vs. the control group. No significant changes were observed in the DNA, soluble protein and lipase contents of the pancreas. In the STZ-treated groups, the serum glucose level was significantly elevated, whereas the serum immunoreactive insulin (IRI) level was significantly decreased vs. the control group. In these treated groups, the amylase content of the pancreas was also significantly decreased, but that of trypsinogen was significantly elevated vs. the control group. Histologic sections revealed periductal fibroses, adipose tissue and tubular complexes in the Arg-treated rats, but centroacinar hyperplasia was not observed in these groups. No alterations were observed on histological examination in the diabetic rats vs. normal rats 6 months following pancreatitis induction. In conclusion, a major restitution of the pancreatic enzyme content, but moderate histologic alterations were detected 6 months following pancreatitis induction with Arg. The diabetic state appeared to shift the normal pancreatic enzyme content (decreased amylase and increased trypsinogen) in this long-term study, but not to modify the recovery of the exocrine pancreas 6 months following Arg-induced pancreatitis.     

Four-week ethanol drinking increases both thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) release and content in rat pancreatic islets

Ethanol exerts profound effects on the endocrine and exocrine pancreas. Some effects of chronic alcohol consumption on insulin secretion in response to glucose load are similar to those of TRH gene disruption. TRH is present in insulin-producing B-cells of the islets of Langerhans; its role in this location is still not fully explored. To examine the possible effect of long-term in vivo ethanol treatment on pancreatic TRH we compared three groups of rats: a 10% (wt:vol) ethanol-drinking group (E), absolute controls (AC) and pair-fed (PF) group with solid food intake corresponding to that of E. The fluidity of pancreatic membranes was not affected by chronic in vivo exposure of rats to ethanol, but was significantly decreased in PF group. Four-week treatment resulted in significantly higher TRH content in isolated islets of the E group and increased basal and 80 mM isotonic ethanol-induced secretion compared to AC and PF. Plasma levels of insulin, C-peptide, IGF-I, and glycemia were, however, not affected by ethanol treatment. Cell swelling, which can be induced by the presence of permeants (e.g. ethanol) in an isotonic extracellular medium, is a strong stimulus for secretion in various types of cells. In the present study, isosmotic ethanol (40, 80, and 160 mM) induced dose-dependent release of TRH and insulin from adult rat pancreatic islets in vitro. The same concentrations were not effective when applied in a hyperosmotic medium (addition of ethanol directly to the medium), thus indicating the participation of cell swelling in the ethanol-induced secretion. In conclusion, chronic ethanol treatment significantly affected pancreatic TRH and this effect might be mediated by cell swelling. The role of these changes in the profound effect of ethanol on the endocrine and exocrine pancreas remains to be established.     

Enhancement of mouse pancreatic regeneration and HIT-T15 cell proliferation with rat pancreatic extract

In this study, the effects of rat pancreatic extract (RPE) on regeneration of impaired mouse pancreas and proliferation of beta-cell line (HIT-T15) were investigated. RPE from the regenerating pancreas (2 days after 60% pancreatectomy) was treated to cure streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes in BALB/c mice. RPE-treated BALB/c mice for 21 consecutive days became euglycemic by day 30 and remained normoglycemic during a 150 day follow-up. Saline treated mice remained hyperglycemic sustained uncontrolled hyperglycemia. Islet neogenesis was observed in RPE-treated mice and confirmed by use of immunocytochemistry. Morphometric analysis of pancreas in reverted RPE-treated mice showed a new population of small islets compared with saline controls and an increased islet number. When HIT-T15 cells were treated with RPE, HIT-T15 cell proliferation and insulin secretion increased with increases in the RPE concentration. These results imply that RPE have the regeneration factors and help in the cure of diabetes.     

The identification of the F-cell in the dog pancreas as the pancreatic polypeptide producing cell.

The endocrine cells of the processus uncinatus in the dog pancreas were investigated with special reference to the formerly known F-cell. The F-cell was detected frequently in the periphery of pancreatic islets as well as among exocrine tissue. In both localizations the F-cell shows similar ultrastructural features. Membrane-bound irregularly shaped secretory granules of variable electron density were seen. The cell possesses all features of an endocrine polypeptide secreting cell. Using the immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase technique in the uncinate processus of the dog, we could reveal that the anti-sera against bovine pancreatic polypeptide (BPP) reacts with the cell which is localized at the same sites as the F-cell. We therefore conclude that the pancreatic F-cell is identical to the pancreatic polypeptide-producing cell. The other endocrine cell types of the dog pancreas are glucagon-producing A-cells, insulin-producing B-cells, and somatostatin-producing D-cells, as well as serotonin-producing EC-cells which are regularly present in the dog pancreatic islets and also scattered among exocrine tissue and the duct epithelial cells.     

Effects of glucose infusion in exercising rats

To determine whether feedforward control of liver glycogenolysis during exercise is subject to negative feedback by elevated blood glucose, glucose was infused into exercising rats at a rate that elevated blood glucose greater than 10 mM. Liver glycogen content decreased 22.4 mg/g in saline-infused rats compared with 13.6 mg/g in glucose-infused rats during the first 40 min of treadmill running (21 m/min, 15% grade). Liver adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) concentration was significantly lower in the glucose-infused rats during the exercise bout. The concentration of hepatic fructose 2,6-bisphosphate remained elevated throughout the exercise bout in glucose-infused rats but decreased markedly in saline-infused rats. Plasma insulin concentration was higher and plasma glucagon concentration lower in glucose-infused rats than in saline-infused rats during exercise. Early in exercise, liver glycogenolysis proceeds in the glucose-infused rats despite the fact that glucose and insulin concentrations are markedly elevated and liver cAMP is unchanged from resting values. These observations suggest the existence of a cAMP-independent feedforward system for activation of liver glycogenolysis that can override classical negative feedback mechanisms during exercise.     

Enzymes of the cholinergic system in islets of Langerhans.

Quantitative radiometric assays were employed to measure activities of choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase in freeze-dried pieces of islets of Langerhans and exocrine tissue from rat pancreas. The activities of both enzymes were about an order of magnitude higher in islets than in exocrine tissue. This difference in activity was found in rats made diabetic with streptozotocin as well as in the controls. Although the enzyme activities in islets from diabetic rats averaged about 30-40% higher than those in islets from control rats, the differences were statistically only marginally significant. Since the islets of diabetic rats are probably much smaller than those of control rats, it is suggested that cholinergic elements associated with pancreatic islets are lost following induction of streptozotocin diabetes.     

Response of rat exocrine pancreas to high-fat and high-carbohydrate diets

Intake of diets with high fat content is a risk factor for acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. The underlying mechanisms leading to the development of these diseases due to high fat intake are currently unknown. The current study was designed in rats to determine the physiologic and pathological consequences of a highfat diet that contained excess amounts of cottonseed oil or a high-carbohydrate diet that contained high amounts of sucrose on the exocrine pancreas. Rats were maintained on the diets for 4 weeks, and a cannula was inserted into the right jugular vein and one into the pancreatic duct for collection of pancreatic juice. Volume of the pancreatic juice and concentrations of amylase, lipase, and trypsinogen in the pancreatic juice were measured before and after infusions of CCK-8. Results showed that basal and CCK-stimulated pancreatic outputs of volume, amylase and lipase but not trypsinogen, were significantly elevated in intact rats given a high-fat diet when compared with rats given a high-carbohydrate diet. Forty-eight hours later, rats were sacrificed, and parts of the pancreas were removed for isolation of pancreatic acinar cells and for histopathologic studies. Pancreatic acini isolated from rats on a high-fat diet showed significantly lower basal and CCK-stimulated amylase release when compared with those on a high-carbohydrate diet. Histology of the pancreas of rats on a high-carbohydrate diet appeared normal; however, the pancreas of rats on high-fat diet showed significant alterations in exocrine pancreas. These results showed abnormalities in the exocrine pancreas of rats on a high-fat diet, that were not found in rats on a high-carbohydrate diet; further, they support the contention that a high-fat diet has a deleterious effect on the pancreas.     

Pancreatic fate of 14C-labelled hexoses

In order to assess the respective contribution of the exocrine and endocrine moieties of the pancreas to the overall net uptake of selected monosaccharides by the pancreatic gland, the apparent distribution space of L-[1-14C]glucose, 3-O-[14C-methyl]-D-glucose, D-[U-14C]glucose, D-[U-14C]mannose and D-[U-14C]fructose was measured in pieces of pancreas obtained from either control rats or animals injected with streptozotocin. Although the time course for the uptake of 3-O-[14C-methyl]-D-glucose, D-[U-14C]glucose, D-[U-14C]mannose and D-[U-14C]fructose was much slower in the pieces of pancreas than that previously documented in isolated pancreatic islets, no significant difference could, as a rule, be detected between the results obtained in pancreatic pieces of control and streptozotocin rats. A comparable situation prevailed in the pancreas of animals examined 3 min after the intravenous injection of 3-O-[14C-methyl]-D-glucose. D-Glucose inhibited the uptake of 3-O-[14C-methyl]-D-glucose and that of D-[U-14C]fructose. Likewise, 3-O-methyl-D-glucose inhibited the uptake of D-[U-14C]glucose. Cytochalasin B (20 microm) also inhibited the uptake of 3-O-[14C-methyl]-D-glucose and D-[U-14C]glucose, but not that of D-[U-14C]fructose. D-Mannoheptulose hexaacetate, but not the unesterified heptose, inhibited the metabolism of tritiated and 14C-labelled D-glucose, as well as the net uptake of D-[U-14C]glucose and D-[U-14C]mannose and, to a lesser extent, that of D-[U-14C]fructose. These findings indicate that despite marked differences between endocrine and exocrine pancreatic cells in terms of both the time course for the uptake of several hexoses and the inhibition of their phosphorylation by D-mannoheptulose, little or no preferential labelling of the endocrine moiety of the pancreas by the 14C-labelled hexoses is observed, at least when judged from their distribution space in pancreatic pieces or the whole pancreatic gland. Nevertheless, the findings made with D-mannoheptulose and its hexaacetate ester raise the view that this heptose could conceivably be used to achieve a sizeable preferential labelling of the endocrine pancreas under the present experimental conditions.     

A non-receptor-type protein phosphotyrosine phosphatase is enriched in secretory vesicles of glucagon – and pancreatic polypeptide – secreting cells of the endocrine pancreas

 The secretory vesicles of some cells of the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas contain high amounts of immunoreactive tyrosine phosphatase of the PTP1B/TCPTP subfamily. The cells are located in the peripheral parts of the islets and were identified as glucagon- and pancreatic polypeptide-forming cells. The tyrosine phosphatase is also enriched in some of the somatostatin-producing cells but is not elevated either in insulin-producing B-cells or in the exocrine pancreas. Virtually the same patterns were found in pancretic tissues of rats, guinea pigs, pigs, and mice. High levels of detergent-soluble tyrosine phosphatase were measured in the particular fraction of pancreatic islets with a substrate preferred by PTP1B/TCPTP-type protein tyrosine phosphatases. Accepted: 6 November 1998     

Responses of the exocrine pancreatic secretion to spontaneous feeding in rats with bile-pancreatic juice diversion

The regulatory response of the exocrine pancreas was examined in rats under unanesthetized and unrestrained conditions. The previous study demonstrated that the pancreatic protease secretion increased 2-fold after spontaneous feeding of a low protein diet in chronically bile-pancreatic cannulated rats (normal rats) whose bile-pancreatic juice (BPJ) was returned to the duodenum. In the present study, we observed the response of the exocrine pancreatic secretion to spontaneous feeding of a low protein diet in rats with chronic diversion of BPJ from the proximal small intestine for 6 days (bypass rat) whose diverted BPJ was returned to the upper ileum. During BPJ diversion, the dry weight and the protein content of the pancreas were increased 2-fold, compared with normal rats. Also, the levels of trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen in the pancreas were increased several times, but amylase was decreased. The basal secretion of enzymes after a 24-hr fast was enhanced in bypass rats in proportion to the pancreatic enzyme contents. After spontaneous feeding of 8% casein fat-free diet, the increases in the pancreatic secretion of bypass rats were much smaller than those of normal rats. In contrast, the increase of BPJ flow of bypass rats after feeding was greater than that of normal rats. These findings represent that the chronic diversion of BPJ exerts hypergrowth of pancreas and hypersecretion of proteases in the fasting state, and less sensitivity of pancreatic enzyme secretion to dietary feeding.     

Exocrine pancreas development in zebrafish

Although many of the genes that regulate development of the endocrine pancreas have been identified, comparatively little is known about how the exocrine pancreas forms. Previous studies have shown that exocrine pancreas development may be modeled in zebrafish. However, the timing and mechanism of acinar and ductal differentiation and morphogenesis have not been described. Here, we characterize zebrafish exocrine pancreas development in wild type and mutant larvae using histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analyses. These data allow us to identify two stages of zebrafish exocrine development. During the first stage, the exocrine anlage forms from rostral endodermal cells. During the second stage, proto-differentiated progenitor cells undergo terminal differentiation followed by acinar gland and duct morphogenesis. Immunohistochemical analyses support a model in which the intrapancreatic ductal system develops from progenitors that join to form a contiguous network rather than by branching morphogenesis of the pancreatic epithelium, as described for mammals. Contemporaneous appearance of acinar glands and ducts in developing larvae and their disruption in pancreatic mutants suggest that common molecular pathways may regulate gland and duct morphogenesis and differentiation of their constituent cells. By contrast, analyses of mind bomb mutants and jagged morpholino-injected larvae suggest that Notch signaling principally regulates ductal differentiation of bipotential exocrine progenitors.     

Role of TGF-beta1 in the development of pancreatic fibrosis in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats

Recently established Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, a model of naturally occurring obesity diabetes, exhibit progressive accumulation of connective tissue in the pancreas. The present study was designed to determine the pathogenic role of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in the development of pancreatic fibrosis in OLETF rats by investigating the serial changes in the expression of TGF-beta1 and extracellular matrix (ECM) in the pancreas. Progressive proliferation of connective tissue arose from the interstitial region surrounding islets at 20 wk of age and extended to the exocrine pancreas adjacent to the islets. TGF-beta1 mRNA levels in the pancreas increased at 20 wk of age and reached a peak value at 30 wk of age. Fibronectin (FN) and procollagen types I and III mRNAs peaked at 20 wk of age and remained at higher levels than those in the nondiabetic counterparts Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka rats until 50 wk of age. Immunoreactivities for TGF-beta1 and FN were found in islets of OLETF rats at 20 wk of age and were seen in acinar and interstitial cells at 50 wk of age. Moreover, alpha-smooth muscle actin was located at interstitial region surrounding the islets. Proliferation of the connective tissue in the pancreas of OLETF rats closely correlated with expression of TGF-beta1 and ECM. Our results suggest that the development of pancreatic fibrosis in OLETF rats extends from endocrine to exocrine pancreas and that TGF-beta1 is involved in pancreatic fibrosis of OLETF rats.     

Impaired differentiation of endocrine and exocrine cells of the pancreas in transgenic mouse expressing the truncated type II activin receptor

Activin A is expressed in endocrine precursor cells of the fetal pancreatic anlage. To determine the physiological significance of activins in the pancreas, a transgenic mouse line expressing the truncated type II activin receptor under the control of beta-actin promoter was developed. Histological analyses of the pancreas revealed that the pancreatic islets of the transgenic mouse were small in size and were located mainly along the pancreatic ducts. Immunoreactive insulin was detected in islets, some acinar cells, and in some epithelial cells in the duct. In addition, there were abnormal endocrine cells outside the islets. The shape and the size of the endocrine cells varied and some of them were larger than islets. These cells expressed immunoreactive insulin and glucagon. In the exocrine portion, there were morphologically abnormal exocrine cells, which did not form a typical acinar structure. The cells lacked spatial polarity characteristics of acinar cells but expressed immunoreactive amylase, which was distributed diffusely in the cytoplasm. Plasma glucose concentration was normal in the transgenic mouse before and after the administration of glucose. The insulin content of the pancreas in transgenic and normal mice was nearly identical. These results suggest that activins or related ligands regulate the differentiation of the pancreatic endocrine and exocrine cells.