Somatostatin in the pancreas and hypothalamus of obese mice.

The pancreatic content of somatostatin, insulin, and glucagon and the hypothalamic content of somatostatin were examined in ob/ob mice at various ages and in goldthioglucose-obese mice. The total pancreatic content of somatostatin was increased in ob/ob mice compared to controls: 92 ng vs 75 ng (a 22% increase) at 2 months of age; 208 ng vs 131 ng (a 60% increase) at 6 months of age; and 184 ng vs 118 ng (a 60% increase) at 8 months of age. The total pancreatic content of glucagon in ob/ob mice was already enhanced by 70% over controls at 2 months of age (301 ng vs 173 ng) and did not increase further at later stages, whereas that of insulin progressively rose with age. In goldthioglucose-obese mice the pancreatic content of insulin was also increased but to a lesser extent than in ob/ob mice; the pancreatic levels of somatostatin and glucagon were unaltered. In both ob/ob mice (regardless of age) and goldthioglucose-obese mice, there was no significant change in the hypothalamic content of somatostatin compared with that of lean controls.