Role of somatostatin in regulation of insular-acinar axis

Cysteamine is known to deplete somatostatin from pancreatic D cells. In the isolated perfused rat pancreas we investigated its effects on somatostatin and glucagon release as well as exocrine pancreatic secretion in the presence of 1.8 mM glucose. Cysteamine, 10 mM, released somatostatin, but had no effect on CCK-stimulated amylase secretion. Arginine-stimulated glucagon release, however, was significantly inhibited by cysteamine. Concomitantly we still observed stimulation of somatostatin secretion, but also a potentiation of CCK-stimulated amylase secretion. Our results are consistent with a role of somatostatin in the regulation of exocrine pancreatic secretion via its effect on pancreatic A and B cells.