Carbon monoxide and pancreatic islet blood flow in the rat: Inhibition of haem oxygenase does not affect islet blood perfusion

Abstract

Objective. To determine whether carbon monoxide, a known gaseous vasorelaxator, affects pancreatic islet blood flow in rats. Material and methods. Sprague‐Dawley rats were anaesthetized with thiobutabarbital and injected intravenously with the haem oxygenase inhibitor tin‐protoporphyrin IX dichloride (SnPP; 4, 10 or 20 mg/kg body‐weight). After 15 min, blood flow measurements were performed using a microsphere technique. Results. There was a slight increase in mean arterial blood pressure with the highest dose of SnPP. No effects on total pancreatic, islet, duodenal, colonic, renal or adrenal blood flow were seen with any of the applied doses. Conclusions. The findings of this study suggest that the haem oxygenase‐carbon monoxide system is likely to be of limited importance in the regulation of blood perfusion to the pancreas, the islets of Langerhans or any of the other studied organs.

• Blood flow
• carbon monoxide
• heme oxygenase
• pancreatic islets

Acknowledgements

We express our gratitude to Astrid Nordin for skilful technical assistance. The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council (72X‐109), the Swedish Diabetes Association, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the EFSD/Novo Nordisk for the Type 2 Diabetes Research Grant, the NOVO Nordic Research Fund and the Family Ernfors Fund.