Metabolic effect of pancreas transplantation on long-term diabetic rats.

Thirty-six male Lewis rats rendered diabetic using alloxan received syngeneic pancreaticoduodenal grafts. Seven days prior to and 7, 30, and 90 days posttransplantation, the animals were housed in metabolic cages for periods of 48 hours. During this time, body weight, water intake, food intake, urine output, and fecal output were recorded every 24 hours. Blood sugar, plasma insulin, glucosuria, and proteinuria were determined at 3-month intervals prior to the transplant and at monthly intervals posttransplantation. These parameters were also concurrently recorded for diabetic control rats. Pancreaticoduodenal transplantation produces immediate relief of hyperglycemia, glucosuria, polyuria, polyphasia, and polydypsia, resulting in good health of the animals until the time of sacrifice. A significantly increased insulin level was also recorded. The transplanted animals showed a weight gain reflecting that of a normal growth curve.