Treatment of IFN-γ transgenic mice with anti-IFN-γ reveals the remodeling capacity of the adult pancreas

Pancreatic expression of γ-interferon (IFN-γ) initiates a cascade of pathogenic changes that include pancreatic inflammation, islet cell destruction, hyperglycemia, and islet regeneration. In this study, we explore the developmental plasticity of the adult pancreas and particularly its ability to return to normoglycemia and to remodel itself from an advanced pathogenic state. This was approached by treating adult transgenic mice with a pulse of anti-IFN-γ antibody and determining the functional and morphological status of the pancreas. We demonstrated that anti-IFN-γ antibody administration led to the reduction of hyperglycemic blood glucose levels in transgenic mice. We also observed that the pancreas returned from a profoundly perturbed state toward normality. Analysis of the mitotic index indicated that cell proliferation previously associated with islet cell regeneration was greatly reduced after anti-IFN-γ administration. Our results highlight the ability of the adult pancreas to remodel itself and return from a complex pathological state to normalcy once the trophic signal inducing this pathology is removed. These data also suggest that anti-IFN-γ administration may have important clinical implications for treatment of chronic pancreatitis in humans.