Effects of somatostatin on pancreatic isolated islets and peripheral tissues of rats

: This study was performed in order to evaluate the effects of somatostatin on insulin releasing mechanisms and on glucose uptake in peripheral tissues using isolated pancreatic islets, isolated rat diaphragms and epididymal fat pads. Insulin release by various concentrations of glucose were examined, and it was found that 100 ng/ml of somatostatin significantly inhibited insulin release at the glucose concentration of 200 mg/dl. Somatostatin also significantly inhibted insulin release by the administration of 5microgram/ml of glucagon with 200 mg/dl of glucose concentration and 20 mM of orginine with 200mg/dl of glucose concentrations. But at the glucose concentration of 50mg/dl, no significant inhibition of somatostatin on insulin release was observed even when various concentrations of glucagon or arginine were added. The influence of somatostatin on peripheral tissues was examined in vitro, and no significant change on glucose uptake compared with the control group was shown in either tissues. The results indicated that somatostatin directly inhibited insulin release from rat pancreatic islets but had no effect on glucose uptake in peripheral tissues. The inhibitory effect of somatostatin on insulin release may act through the common mechanism of both glucose and other substances in leading to insulin release.