AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 245, Issue 4 417-E423, Copyright © 1983 by American Physiological Society
Cytotoxic effects of alloxan treatment in vitro on monolayer cultures of neonatal rat pancreas
K. C. Gorray, D. G. Baskin and W. Y. Fujimoto
Monolayer cultures of neonatal rat pancreas were exposed briefly (5 min) to
alloxan and were then maintained for several days (up to 14 days) to
examine the long-term effects of alloxan exposure on B cells. Alloxan (0-10
mM) caused a dose-dependent reduction in rates of insulin release during
the first 24 h after treatment. This reduction persisted throughout the
period of observation. Rates of glucagon release were unaltered by all
concentrations of alloxan tested. Spontaneously decomposed alloxan had
little or no effect on rates of insulin release. The simultaneous presence
of high concentrations of glucose during exposure of cells to alloxan
exerted a rapid protective effect against alloxan toxicity that was both
glucose and alloxan dose dependent. Alloxan treatment of pancreatic
monolayer cultures may allow for a comparison of those actions of alloxan
that are directly on and specific for islet B cells. Furthermore,
alloxan-treated cultures may represent a unique in vitro system for
studying the physiology and biochemistry of other islet cell types in
cultures in which B cells and insulin are reduced, as well as for studying
glucose interactions with the B cell.
