In order to assess the combined and separate effects of pancreas and kidney transplant on whole-body protein metabolism, 9 insulin-dependent diabetic-uremic patients (IDDUP), 14 patients after combined kidney-pancreas transplantation (KP-Tx), and 6 insulin-dependent diabetic patients with isolated kidney transplant (K-Tx), were studied in the basal postabsorptive state and during euglycemic hyperinsulinemia (study 1). [1-14C]Leucine infusion and indirect calorimetry were utilized to assess leucine metabolism. The subjects were studied again with a combined infusion of insulin and amino acids, given to mimic postprandial amino acid levels (study 2). In the basal state, IDDUP demonstrated with respect to normal subjects (CON): (a) higher free-insulin concentration (17.8 +/- 2.8 vs. 6.8 +/- 1.1 microU/ml, P < 0.01) (107 +/- 17 vs. 41 +/- 7 pM); (b) reduced plasma leucine (92 +/- 9 vs. 124 +/- 2 microM, P < 0.05), branched chain amino acids (BCAA) (297 +/- 34 vs. 416 +/- 10 microM, P < 0.05), endogenous leucine flux (ELF) (28.7 +/- 0.8 vs. 39.5 +/- 0.7 mumol.m-2.min-1, P < 0.01) and nonoxidative leucine disposal (NOLD) (20.7 +/- 0.2 vs. 32.0 +/- 0.7 mumol.m-2. min-1, P < 0.01); (c) similar leucine oxidation (LO) (8.0 +/- 0.1 vs. 7.5 +/- 0.1 mumol.m-2.min-1; P = NS). Both KP-Tx and K-Tx patients showed a complete normalization of plasma leucine (116 +/- 5 and 107 +/- 9 microM), ELF (38.1 +/- 0.1 and 38.5 +/- 0.9 mumol.m-2.min-1), and NOLD (28.3 +/- 0.6 and 31.0 +/- 1.3 mumol.m-2.min-1) (P = NS vs, CON). During hyperinsulinemia (study 1), IDDUP showed a defective decrease of leucine (42% vs. 53%; P < 0.05), BCAA (38% vs. 47%, P < 0.05), ELF (28% vs. 33%, P < 0.05), and LO (0% vs. 32%, P < 0.05) with respect to CON. Isolated kidney transplant reverted the defective inhibition of ELF (34%, P = NS vs. CON) of IDDUP, but not the inhibition of LO (18%, P < 0.05 vs. CON) by insulin. Combined kidney and pancreas transplanation normalized all kinetic parameters of insulin-mediated protein turnover. During combined hyperinsulinemia and hyperaminoacidemia (study 2), IDDUP showed a defective stimulation of NOLD (27.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 36.1 +/- 0.8 mumol.m-2.min-1, P < 0.01 compared to CON), which was normalized by transplantation (44.3 +/- 0.8 mumol.m-2.min-1).

In this study, pancreas transplantation is used as a clinical model of pancreas denervation in humans. To assess the role of innervation on the feedback autoinhibition of insulin secretion, we studied four groups of subjects--group 1: 16 patients with combined pancreas and kidney transplantation (plasma glucose = 5.1 mM, HbA1c = 6.4%, creatinine = 86 mM); group 2: 8 patients with chronic uveitis on the same immunosuppressive therapy as transplanted patients (12 mg/day prednisone, 5 mg.kg-1.day-1 CsA); group 3: 4 uremic, nondiabetic patients in chronic hemodialysis; group 4: 7 normal, nondiabetic control subjects. The following means were used to study the groups: 1) a two-step hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (insulin infusion rate = 1 mU and 5 mU.kg-1.min-1); and 2) a 0.3 mU.kg-1.min-1 hypoglycemic clamp (steady-state plasma glucose = 3.1 mM). Basal plasma-free IRI (84 +/- 6, 42 +/- 12, 72 +/- 12, and 30 +/- 6 pM in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively), basal C-peptide (0.79 +/- 0.05, 0.66 +/- 0.05, 3.04 +/- 0.20, and 0.59 +/- 0.06 nM in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively), and glucagon (105 +/- 13, 69 +/- 4, 171 +/- 10, and 71 +/- 5 pg/ml in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively) were increased in groups 1 and 3 with respect to groups 2 and 4 (P < 0.01). During euglycemic hyperinsulinemia, plasma C-peptide decreased by 45, 20, and 44% in groups 2, 3, and 4, respectively, but showed no significant change from the basal in patients with transplanted pancreases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

We have investigated the metabolic effects of segmental (neoprene-injected) pancreas transplantation versus whole (enteric-diverted) pancreas transplantation. Seventeen uremic insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients received a simultaneous pancreaticorenal transplant: in a prospective, randomized study, 9 patients received a segmental neoprene-injected graft (group A) while 8 patients received a total pancreaticoduodenal graft, with enteric diversion (group B). The immunosuppressive therapy was based on ALG, CsA, azathioprine, and steroids. Three months after surgery, patients were submitted to the following metabolic investigation: i.v. and oral glucose tolerance tests, Hba1, i.v. arginine test, and a 24-hr metabolic profile. The OGTT, HbA1, and metabolic profile were repeated 12 and 24 months after transplantation. At 3 months after transplantation, the OGTT showed delayed insulin secretion and higher blood glucose levels in group A. Serum insulin levels after IVGTT or arginine were higher in group B than in group A. OGTT at 12 and 24 months were unchanged in group B, while in group A a higher incidence of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and diabetes mellitus response were observed. HbA1 and blood glucose levels during the 24-hr profile showed good metabolic control in both groups at 3, 12, and 24 months. We can conclude that both the segmental and total pancreas transplantation restore a good metabolic control in IDDM patients, though a higher incidence of IGT and DM responses were observed after OGTT in the patients receiving a segmental graft. These abnormalities do not seem to interfere with metabolic control in everyday life. These results seem to be the consequence of the different B cell masses transplanted with these two techniques.

Between January 1985 and September 1987, we performed a prospective comparative study between segmental-pancreas transplantation with duct obstruction by neoprene (n = 17) and pancreaticoduodenal transplantation with enteric diversion to a Roux-en-Y intestinal loop (n = 14). All recipients had insulin-dependent diabetes. The immunosuppressive protocol consisted of low doses of the steroids cyclosporin A and azathioprine. Mean follow-up was 16.5 mo for the enteric-diversion group and 13.5 mo for duct-obstructed groups. Two-year patient and pancreas- and kidney-graft actuarial survival rates were 92.9, 75.5, and 74.2%, respectively, in the former group and 92.3, 58.4, and 63.7%, respectively, in the latter group (NS). Five whole-organ grafts were lost (3 vascular thromboses, 1 pancreatitis, 1 rejection), and four segmental grafts were lost (2 vascular thromboses, 1 bleeding, 1 patient's death with functional graft). More surgical complications occurred in the recipients of whole-organ grafts and were often related to the intestinal anastomosis. A satisfactory blood glucose control was observed at 3 mo and 1 yr in both groups. Provocative tests showed higher and prompter insulin secretion in patients with wholeorgan grafts. In patients with segmental grafts, the response was lower and delayed with a general tendency to impaired glucose tolerance. A marked hyperinsulinemia after meals was observed in whole-organ graft recipients. Slight nocturnal hyperinsulinemia was observed in both groups. At 1 yr, glycosylated hemoglobin was normal in both groups. The absence of a significant difference between the two groups, in terms of survival and graft function, and the lower surgical complication rate seen with segmental grafts have made us return to neo p re ne-injected segmental grafts.