Somatostatin and insulin secretion in man. III - Lack of interaction with prostaglandins

In order to asses potential interactions between somatostatin and prostaglandins during regulation of insulin secretion in vivo, in the present investigation we studied the effect of acetylsalicylic acid, an inhibitor of endogenous PG synthesis, on somatostatin-mediated inhibition of glucose-induced insulin secretion in normal man. Acute insulin response (mean change 3'-10') to glucose was almost completely suppressed by somatostatin (500 microgram/h) and glucose utilization was decreased. These somatostatin-induced changes failed to be eliminated by a concurrent infusion of acetylsalicylic acid (40 mg/min). This last drug, when infused alone, increased both the acute insulin response to glucose and glucose tolerance. These results speak against the involvement of PGs in the mediation of somatostatin-induced suppression of insulin secretion.