Effects of Amylin on the Release of Insulin and Glucagon from the Perfused Rat Pancreas

Amylin is a normal secretory protein of the pancreatic beta-cells as well as a major constituent of the islet amyloid deposits in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. We studied the effects of amylin on the release of insulin and glucagon from the isolated perfused rat pancreas. Rat amylin was dissolved in basal perfusates to a final concentration of 100 nM. Amylin did not alter glucose-stimulated secretion of insulin but significantly inhibited arginine-stimulated secretion of insulin (control: 20.9 +/- 1.4 pmol/min; amylin group: 14.8 +/- 1.6 pmol/min, p < 0.05). Amylin did not alter the release of glucagon from the perfused rat pancreas in response to 16.7 mM glucose and 10 mM arginine. These findings suggest that amylin may modulate the secretion of insulin from pancreatic beta-cells.