Insulin secretion in the isolated islets of single-, regular-fasted and fed rats

To investigate the alterations in insulin secretion induced by habituation to single daily meal, adult rats were trained on a regular-fasting scheme (2-hr feeding/22-hr fasting) for 4 weeks. Insulin secretion induced by nutrient secretagogues (D-glucose and L-leucine) and the rates of 45Ca2+ outflow and 14C-glucose oxidation were studied in isolated islets obtained from these animals and in fed and 22-hr single-fasted rats. As expected, in the 22-hr fasted group, insulin secretion was drastically decreased although not abolished while 45Ca2+ outflow and 14C-glucose oxidation rates were only partially reduced. However, the regular-fasted rats did not secrete insulin in response to the nutrient secretagogues; calcium entry was not detected although a partial reduction in 14C-glucose oxidation rate was observed. These results suggest that regular fasting induces alterations in pancreatic B-cell glycolytic pathways leading to impairment of calcium efflux and insulin secretion. Such impairment is more pronounced than that induced by a single 22-hr fast.