Acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis in mice: A study of glucoregulatory hormones and glucose metabolism.

In mice fed a choline-deficient diet containing 0.5% DL-ethionine (CDE) profound hypoglycemia develops, as do signs of shock, and the mice die of acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis (AHP). When fed a choline-supplemented diet containing 0.5% DL-ethionine (CSE), however, the mice have a chronic nonhemorrhagic pancreatitis with focal necrosis, do not show symptoms of shock, and survive. For investigation of the mechanism of hypoglycemia and the onset of shock in AHP, serum and pancreatic insulin and glucagon contents, serum glucose levels, and the morphologic characteristics of pancreatic islets were evaluated in mice fed laboratory Chow (LC); a choline-supplemented (CS) diet; a choline-deficient (CD) diet; or the CSE and CDE diets for 1, 2, or 3 days. The results indicate that onset of shock in animals with AHP may be due to hypoglycemia resulting from abnormal release of glucoregulatory hormones and their inability to maintain glucose output from liver and/or caused by active proteinases released from necrotic pancreas.