Histopathological heterogeneity in the human pancreas is well documented; however, functional evidence at the tissue level is scarce. Herein, we investigate in situ glucose-stimulated islet and carbachol-stimulated acinar cell secretion across the pancreas head (PH), body (PB), and tail (PT) regions in donors without diabetes (ND; n = 15), positive for one islet autoantibody (1AAb+; n = 7), and with type 1 diabetes (T1D; <14 months duration, n = 5). Insulin, glucagon, pancreatic amylase, lipase, and trypsinogen secretion along with 3D tissue morphometrical features are comparable across regions in ND. In T1D, insulin secretion and beta-cell volume are significantly reduced within all regions, while glucagon and enzymes are unaltered. Beta-cell volume is lower despite normal insulin secretion in 1AAb+, resulting in increased volume-adjusted insulin secretion versus ND. Islet and acinar cell secretion in 1AAb+ are consistent across the PH, PB, and PT. This study supports low inter-regional variation in pancreas slice function and, potentially, increased metabolic demand in 1AAb+.
Institut(e)Institute for Pancreatic Beta Cell Research (IPI)
FörderungenDiabetes Research Institute Foundation DFG Collaborative Research Centre/Transregio 127 DFG JRDF grant Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden (PLID) of the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen at the University Clinic Carl Gustav Carus of Technische Universitat Dresden German Ministry for Education and Research NPOD JDRF Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust National Institutes of Health (NIH)