Islet changes in hereditary ceruloplasmin deficiency.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the important initial symptom of hereditary ceruloplasmin deficiency (HCD). We examined the pancreas of an autopsy case of HCD and revealed a marked reduction in insulin-containing cells in the islets despite no massive iron deposition, degeneration, nor necrosis. Non-insulin-containing cells in the islets had glucagon or somatostatin. This study indicates that DM in HCD results from depletion of insulin cells and this depletion does not seem to be caused by the direct effect of iron deposition. The present observation suggests that the defect of the ceruloplasmin gene may influence the population of islet cells.