Abstract
Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have EFAD which night contribute to their symptoms (Scand J Gastroenterol 1988; 23 (Suppl 143):1-4). About 90% of the patients have pancreatic insufficiency and 5-10% develop diabetes mellitus. Pancrease has been shown to be highly sensitive to EFAD as revealed by the triene-tetraene ratio. To study the influence of EFAD on pancreatic endocrine function the insulin response was studied after administration of glucose intravenously in infusion or bolus and in addition the glucagon response after arginine infusion in EFAD female rats (120 days old) and age-matched controls. The exocrine function was studied in isolated pancreatic acinar cells after stimulation with alcohol and carbacholine chloride. The amount of secreted amylase was assessed colorimetrically in computerized spectrophotometer. Gastrointestinal peptides were studied by immunochemical methods.
The EFAD rats showed a higher insulin secretion than control rats with all stimulations whereas no differences in glucose and glucagon levels were seen. The isolated pancreatic acinar cells showed a normal amylase secretion in EFAD rats. Morphologically no changes were seen in the pancrease and the immunohistochemistry pattern of insulin-, glucagon-, somastotatin- and pancreatic polypeptide cells was not different from the controls. The results of this study indicate that the endocrine pancrease seems more sensitive to EFAD than the exocrine part.
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Hjelte, L., Ahren, B., Andrén-sandberg, A. et al. PANCREATIC FUNCTION IN ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID DEFICIENT (EFAD) RATS. Pediatr Res 26, 282 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198909000-00114
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198909000-00114