Abnormal B-Cell Function in Neonatally Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats: Insensitivity to Alloxan Toxicity*

The apparent toxicity of alloxan was compared in nondiabetic rats and rats made diabetic by injection with streptozotocin during neonatal life (STZ). In the perfused pancreas of nondiabetic rats, 1 mM alloxan rapidly but evanescently stimulated insulin secretion; this effect was followed by pronounced inhibition of the insulin response to 27 mM glucose (94% inhibition) or 1 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (76% inhibition). Conversely, in STZ-diabetic rats the stimulatory effect of alloxan was reduced to 22% of that elicited in nondiabetic rats. In further contrast, the inhibitory effect of alloxan exposure was abolished with regard to subsequent glucose-induced insulin secretion and attenuated with regard to 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine-induced insulin secretion. A relative insensitivity to alloxan was also seen in collagenase-isolated islets, where alloxan completely abolished glucose-induced insulin secretion in islets from nondiabetic rats, but only nonsignificantly reduced secretion (by 37%) in islets from STZ-diabetic rats. Insensitivity to glucose in STZ diabetic rats is associated with insensitivity to alloxan. This implies a common defect in the initial recognition site of glucose and alloxan.