Insulin biosynthesis in isolated pancreatic islets of fetal and newborn rats

Abstract

The effect of glucose and glucose plus glucagon on the incorporation of H-3-L-leucine into proinsulin and insulin was examined in isolated islets of twenty-one-day old fetal and five- and ten-day old newborn rats. Maximal stimulation of (pro-) insulin biosynthesis was achieved with 100 mg. per cent of glucose in isolated islets of twenty-one-day old fetal rats. No additional effect was observed with 300 mg. per cent of glucose. On the other hand, in islets of five- and ten-day old newborn rats the incorporation of H-3-L-leucine into proinsulin and insulin was gradually augmented by glucose up to concentrations of 300 mg. per cent. Addition of glucagon to the various glucose concentrations only enhanced the synthesis of insulin in ten-day old newborn islets, whereas it had no effect on the islets of the younger age groups. The results show a different pattern of insulin biosyntheses in fetal and newborn islets, which may be related to the varied plasma glucose concentrations of the perinatal period.