Interactions of concanavalin A with isolated pancreatic islets

Pancreatic islets of mice were isolated by the collagenase method. After a preincubation period of 20 min they were incubated in Krebs-Ringer-albumin buffer in the presence of glucose. Concanavalin A (2 mg/ml) inhibits the glucose-induced release of insulin; this same property is shown by Concanavalin A bound to nonphagocytosable beads of Sephrose at lower concentrations (0.4 mg/ml). In pancreatic islets stimulated by tolbutamide, glibenclamide or arginine the secretion of insulin is not inhibited in the presence of Concanavalin A. The incorporation of tritiated leucine is not influenced by Concanavalin A. Since desialized pancreatic islets react in the same way the glucose-induced secretion of insulin appears to be a membrane-dependent process.