Effect of interferon alpha on the islet tissue of langerhans in the pancreas of albino rat [light and electron microscopic study]

ABSTRACT

Thirty adult male albino rats were used throughout the work. The animals were divided into three groups the first group was used as control, the second group was injected with 0.5 ml of interferon solution subcutaneously three times weekly for six months, while the third group was left for one month after injections with interferon for recovery. Six months post injection, the islet tissue shows selective damage and disappearance of epithelial cells of the peripheral ducts in majority of animals. These ducts were lined only by basement membrane, few mother cells of A-cells were only found. The process of proliferation either sprouting or mitosis stopped completely. The islet tissue in the majority of animals degenerated completely with heavy lymphocytic infiltration while others appeared partly healthy. One month post last interferon injection, the islet recovered and returned to normal morphology. The rise of glucose in the treated animals at the time of sacrifice, after 6 months, was not significant and was not considered diabetic