The effects of steroids and glucagon on the morphological changes in the duct-ligated pancreas of the rat.

Ligation of the rat pancreatic duct produced degeneration of the exocrine acinar tissue, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis. The injection of methyl prednisolone for 5 days following duct ligation produced a marked reduction in the inflammatory-cell infiltrate whereas the administration of glucagon or a combination of glucagon and methyl prednisolone produced only a mild reduction in acinar degeneration. Administration of the drugs for 5 days after duct ligation and examination of the pancreas after 3 months showed no differences in the degree of cellular infiltration and acinar degeneration between controls and those that had received glucagon or glucagon and methyl prednisolone. However, those rats that had received only methyl prednisolone showed fibrosis, a minimal inflammatory-cell infiltrate and a considerable reduction in exocrine tissue. Mild degranulation of the islets of Langerhans was observed in those rats that received methyl prednisolone, alone or in combination with glucagon, and at 3 months the islets appeared normal. The implications for pancreatic transplantation are discussed.