Chronic Fetal Leucine Infusion Does Not Potentiate Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion or Affect Pancreatic Islet Development in Late-Gestation Growth-Restricted Fetal Sheep

Background Growth-restricted fetuses have attenuated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), smaller pancreatic islets, less pancreatic beta-cells, and less pancreatic vascularization compared with normally growing fetuses. Infusion of leucine into normal late-gestation fetal sheep potentiates GSIS, as well as increases pancreatic islet size, the proportion of the pancreas and islet comprising beta-cells, and pancreatic and islet vascularity. In addition, leucine stimulates hepatocyte growth factor (HGF ) mRNA expression in islet endothelial cells isolated from normal fetal sheep. Objective We hypothesized that a 9-d leucine infusion would potentiate GSIS and increase pancreatic islet size, beta-cells, and vascularity in intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR) fetal sheep. We also hypothesized that leucine would stimulate HGF mRNA in islet endothelial cells isolated from IUGR fetal sheep. Methods Late-gestation Columbia-Rambouillet IUGR fetal sheep (singleton or twin) underwent surgeries to place vascular sampling and infusion catheters. Fetuses were randomly allocated to receive a 9-d leucine infusion to achieve a 50-100% increase in leucine concentrations or a control saline infusion. GSIS was measured and pancreas tissue was processed for histologic analysis. Pancreatic islet endothelial cells were isolated from IUGR fetal sheep and incubated with supplemental leucine. Data were analyzed by mixed-models ANOVA; Student, Mann-Whitney, or a paired t test; or a test of equality of proportions. Results Chronic leucine infusion in IUGR fetuses did not affect GSIS, islet size, the proportion of the pancreas comprising beta-cells, or pancreatic or pancreatic islet vascularity. In isolated islet endothelial cells from IUGR fetuses, HGF mRNA expression was not affected by supplemental leucine. Conclusions IUGR fetal sheep islets are not responsive to a 9-d leucine infusion with respect to insulin secretion or any histologic features measured. This is in contrast to the response in normally growing fetuses. These results are important when considering nutritional strategies to prevent the adverse islet and beta-cell consequences in IUGR fetuses.

Automated summary

The study aimed to investigate whether a 9-day leucine infusion could enhance insulin secretion and increase pancreatic islet size, beta-cells, and vascularity in intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR) fetal sheep. However, the results showed that IUGR fetal sheep islets were not responsive to leucine infusion in terms of insulin secretion or any histologic features measured, unlike normally growing fetuses.