Effects of sulphydryl reagents on pancreatic glucagon secretion in vitro

The effect of sulphydryl reagents on glucagon secretion of isolated Wistar rats islets was studied. Chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid (CMBS) is a strong stimulator of glucagon secretion, whereas 5,5'-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) markedly inhibited the hormone release. The effect of CMBS could not be suppressed by 20 mM glucose, but in the presence of 1 mM 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyano-stilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (SITS), and is independent of the glucagon content of islets. The results let us assume that sulphydryl-groups of pancreatic A-cells are involved in the regulation of glucagon secretion.