Possible involvement of cholinergic nicotinic receptor in insulin release from isolated rat islets

Insulin release is influenced by the autonomic nervous system. Regarding parasympathetic control, previous reports have shown that regulation of insulin release is executed exclusively through muscarinic receptors in the pancreatic islets. In the present study, however, we examined the effect on insulin release at the islet level of various agents affecting the parasympathetic nervous system, especially nicotinic receptor blockers. Pancreatic islets isolated from adult Wistar male rats were incubated with these agents and insulin release in the media was measured. Acetylcholine chloride (10(-5) M), as well as distigmine bromide (10(-6), 10(-5) M), both of which are cholinesterase inhibitors, stimulated insulin release, whereas atropine (5 x 10(-6), 5 x 10(-5) M) suppressed it. On the other hand, serum and IgG from myasthenia gravis patients, containing anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies, affected insulin release, and alpha-bungarotoxin (10(-9)-10(-7) M), a nicotinic receptor blocker, stimulated insulin release dose-dependently. The present observations suggest that insulin release is influenced by the parasympathetic nervous system, mediated via not only muscarinic but also nicotinic receptors.