Glucagon biosynthesis in isolated pancreatic islets of mice and guinea pigs

To further investigate the regulation of glucagon biosynthesis in mammalian A2-cells, we have studied the incorporation of [3H]-tryptophan into acid alcohol extracts of isolated pancreatic islets of guinea pig and mouse. Gel chromatography on Sephadex G-50 indicated that labelled proteins, migrating either with the void volume (peak I) or in region (peak II) between the void volume and the insulin marker, were formed during a 6h incubation of the islets. However, a period of at least two days in tissue culture was required before the islets showed any significant accumulation of labelled protein eluting in a position corresponding to that of pancreatic glucagon (peak III). Addition of glucose (16.7 mM) enhanced the incorporation into all chromatograph fractions during the culture period. Binding of gel chromatographed proteins Sepharose coupled anti-glucagon antibodies indicated that both guinea pig and mouse islets contained only small amounts of labelled, immunoreactive proteins eluting with either peak I or peak II. However, proteins eluting with peak III contained 6-8 times more lbelled, immunoreactive material than any of the other peaks. Total glucagon immunoreactivity was abundant in peaks I and II but less evident in peak II. The results of pulse-chase experiments provided no convincing evidence for a precursor-product relationship between larger proteins and glucagon. However, the heterogeneity of the putative precursor pool, as evidenced both by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by the low immune binding, might have masked a conversion process. The combined data show that glucagon is, indeed, synthesized in isolated islets of guinea-pig and mouse, but that this process occurs slowly.