Thyroid function and insulin secretion from the perfused pancreas in the rat.

The influence of thyroid function on the kinetics of glucose-induced insulin secretion from the isolated perfused rat pancreas has been studied. L-Thyroxine (L-T4) administration did not modify the immediate insulin secretory response of the perfused pancreas to glucose. L-Triiodothyronine (L-T3) treatment as well as propylthiouracil (PTU) treatment decreased the immediate insulin secretory response of the pancreas slightly. Only thyroidectomy (Tx) reduced the immediate secretory response of the pancreas significantly. L-T4 and L-T3 treatment inhibited the late phase of glucose-induced insulin secretion from the isolated perfused rat pancreas, whereas TX and PTU treatment resulted in increased insulin secretion. D-Thyroxine (D-T4) did not affect glucose-induced insulin release from the pancreas. Concomitantly, several parameters indicative of thyroid function were determined in these animals. When changes in body weight, rectal temperature, plasma glucose, plasma cholesterol, and plasma butanol-extractable iodine (BEI) in these rats were compared with the insulin secretory responses, it was evident that experimental hyperthyroidism results in decreased insulin release, whereas experimental hypothyroidism induces increased insulin secretion from the pancreas. The transitions from hypothyroid to euthyroid to hyperthyroid states are accompanied by a steady decrease in glucose-induced insulin release from the rat pancreas. Inhibition of glucose-induced insulin secretion from the pancreas is therefore a specific effect of thyroid hormones.