Somatostatin release from isolated perfused rat pancreas. Possible role of endogenous somatostatin on insulin release.

In order to elucidate the role of endogenous somatostatin in the control of insulin and glucagon secretion, glucagon- or insulin-induced somatostatin release from the isolated perfused rat pancreas was studied. Immunoreactive somatostatin was persistently released for 60 min in response to perfusion by 5.5 mM glucose at concentrations ranging between 10 and 15 pg/ml. The addition of glucagon (10(-8), 10(-7), and 10(-6) M) caused a dose-related increase of somatostatin release. In contrast, insulin release, especially its first phase, was suppressed when concentrations of glucagon were increased. The addition of insulin (10(-7) M and 10(-6) M) had no significant effect on somatostatin and glucagon release. These results raise the possibility that endogenous somatostatin and glucagon together regulate insulin secretion, suggesting a close interrelationship between insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin secretion within the islet.