Effect of bovine pancreatic polypeptide on isolated rat liver cells.

Pancreatic polypeptide (PP) is a newly isolated protein found in the islets of Langerhans of many species. No clear metabolic function of PP has yet been determined. We have investigated the possible metabolic effect of bovine PP (bPP) on rat liver cells. bPP had no effect on glucose or urea production when liver cells were incubated with a variety of substrates, epinephrine, or glucagon. In addition, there was no appreciable effect of bPP on ketone body production or cAMP levels. Though species differences between the polypeptide and the cells may account for our results, it would seem that further efforts in the search for metabolic actions of PP should be directed toward possible effects on the periphery, i.e. fat and muscle tissue.