The effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on the secretion of insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin were studied in the isolated dog pancreas. Insulin secretion was inhibited in a dose-related fashion for 10 min or more by as little as 1 microM GABA. A prompt but small and transitory rise in somatostatin secretion, lasting only 1 min, occurred at GABA concentrations of 10 and 100 microM, levels that exert inhibitory effects on nervous tissue. Bicuculline, a GABA antagonist, inhibited insulin secretion and did not antagonize GABA-mediated insulin inhibition. The results suggest that GABA in concentrations that are known to exist in islet tissue can influence the secretion of islet hormones.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.