Vagotomy in young obese hyperglycemic mice: effects on syndrome development and islet proliferation

Obese hyperglycemic mice have large pancreatic islets and high levels of serum insulin and blood glucose. Vagotomy was performed on 3-wk-old animals to investigate the role of gut cholinergic innervation in young Umea ob/ob mice. After vagotomy, obesity and hyperglycemia are dissociated. Weight increase in obese vagotomized mice was lower than in sham-operated controls during the 1st wk postoperatively but not thereafter. Blood glucose was lower up to 5 mo after vagotomy, but vagotomized mice showed reduced glucose tolerance. Islet cell proliferation rate was reduced 2 and 3 wk but not 5 mo after vagotomy. After 5 mo, islet volume was smaller in vagotomized mice. Serum insulin levels were the same in vagotomized animals as in sham-operated controls. The effects of reduced cholinergic innervation are probably caused both by direct effects of denervation and by lowered metabolic demand.