3H-thymidine incorporation into islets obtained from prediabetic BB rats

DNA synthesis, measured as 3H-thymidine incorporation, was estimated in islets obtained from BB rats before the onset of diabetes and compared with the replication rate of islets obtained from age-matched BB rats having never developed hyperglycaemia. Using a biopsy procedure, splenic pancreas was removed from both 65 and from 80 day old diabetes prone BB rats. After isolation by a modified collagenase method pancreatic islets were incubated with labeled thymidine. The animals submitted to biopsy were followed up until they reached an age of 200 days. The diabetes incidence of the BB rats biopsied at day 65 and at day 80 was comparable (35% and 31%). In both groups approximately 140 mg of splenic pancreas were necessary to isolate 70-90 islets, regardless whether the animals become diabetic or not. Using a retrospective experimental design, the thymidine incorporation into islets obtained from prediabetic (rats which developed hyperglycaemia) and from normoglycaemic BB rats were comparatively analysed. The DNA synthesis of pancreatic islets obtained from 65 day old prediabetic BB rats is not different from that measured in islets from normoglycaemic BB rats. A similar replicatory behaviour was also observed using islets from prediabetic and normoglycaemic 80 day old BB rats. From our results we seek to conclude that a prediabetic state is not related to a diminished replicatory activity of pancreatic islets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)