Effects of pancreatic homografts on the blood of normal and diabetic hamsters

Pancreatic homografts were placed in the cheek pouches of normal and diabetic hamsters. Blood samples were taken at intervals for the next four weeks. The results were tabulated according to the fate of the implant: whether it was still growing after three weeks or whether it was rejected prior to that time. Among normal animals with good growth, there was an elevation of both the leucocyte and neutrophil counts, the increase being much greater when the grafts were rejected early. In severe diabetics, the increase in both parameters was less than in the controls, regardless of the fate of the graft. The most striking and consistent changes in the serum proteins involved the alpha‐2 and gamma globulins. Among controls the alpha‐2 fraction was as much as three times normal during the first post‐transplant week while the gamma globulin was elevated up to 80% above normal in the third week. In diabetics, the alpha‐2 fraction tended to be below normal while there was no significant increase in the gamma globulin.