Insular amyloidosis in spontaneously diabetic nonhuman primates.

Sections of pancreas from 21 nonhuman primates with diabetes mellitus were examined by light and electron microscopy. All monkeys showed amyloid accumulation in the islets of Langerhans. Amyloid was identified by its dichroism with three different stains: Congo red, changing from red to yellowish-green; standardized toluidine blue, changing from blue to red; and sulfated alcian blue, changing from blue-green to pink. Sulfated alcian blue was a rapid and effective means of detecting amyloid. The characteristic fibrillar structure of amyloid was seen with transmission electron microscopy. Deposition of islet amyloid was independent of the presence or absence of amyloid in other organs. Results indicate that nonhuman primates offer a model for studying the sequential development of insular amyloidotic diabetes mellitus.