Glucagon secretion by the transplantable islet-cell tumor of the Syrian hamster

The transplantable islet-cell tumor of the golden hamster has already been shown to produce hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinemia in the receptor animal. The present study demonstrates that the plasma pancreatic glucagon concentrations are significantly increased in the tumor-bearing animals but that this hyperglucagonemia is not abolished by administration of glucose or of diazoxide. It is also unresponsive to arginine administrations. In these animals, increased peripheral glucagon plasma concentrations are observed along with a reduced porto-aortic glucagon gradient. Moreover, plasma glucagon in the vena cava is usually higher than that in the aorta and a significant quantity of glucagon is found in the tumor. We conclude that glucagon release from the tumor is in fact responsible for the observed hyperglucagonemia.