Diabetes, Vol 34, Issue 12 1253-1259, Copyright © 1985 by American Diabetes Association
Endogenous gut-derived bacterial endotoxin tonically primes pancreatic secretion of insulin in normal rats
RP Cornell
This laboratory has proposed that endogenous gut-derived bacterial
endotoxin primes the pancreatic secretion of insulin in normal rats.
Endogenous lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is continually absorbed from the gut
into intestinal capillaries, and low-grade portal venous endotoxemia is the
status quo. Under physiologic conditions, Kupffer cells of the liver
totally phagocytize and degrade endotoxin from the portal circulation.
Evidence from this and other laboratories indicates that administration of
exogenous LPS to humans and rats enhances pancreatic secretion of both
insulin and glucagon. Conversely, findings of the present study demonstrate
that restriction of endogenous LPS in fasted rats depresses the basal and
arginine-stimulated concentrations of plasma insulin. Techniques used to
restrict gut-derived LPS availability included chronic daily gavage with
neomycin and cefazolin for gut sterilization and with cholestyramine or
lactulose to reduce endotoxin within the gut. In addition, induction of
endotoxin tolerance was produced by progressively higher doses of LPS
intraperitoneally (i.p.), and polymyxin B was administered subcutaneously
(s.c.) daily to neutralize the lipid A portion of circulating LPS. Finally,
isolator-reared, defined flora rats, which were
gram-negative-bacteria-deficient, and, therefore, LPS-deficient, were
compared with conventional counterparts. Basal plasma insulin but not
glucagon levels were consistently and significantly reduced in endogenous
LPS-restricted animals. Glucose-stimulated plasma insulin was decreased
only after parenteral treatment by tolerance induction and polymyxin B
administration. Both plasma insulin and glucagon were depressed in response
to arginine challenge in most LPS-restricted rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
250 WORDS)