Diet‐induced obesity in young mice: Consequences on the pancreatic intrinsic nervous system control of insulin secretion

Abstract Introduction Obesity has become a pandaemic even in children. We aimed to investigate the impact of obesity in youth on later pancreatic intrinsic nervous system (PINS) phenotype and control of insulin secretion. Methods Young mice (5‐week‐old, T0 group) were fed either a normal diet (ND group) or a Western diet (WD group) for 12 weeks. Pancreas nervous system density, PINS phenotype and pancreas anatomy were analysed by immunohistochemistry at T0 and in adulthood (ND and WD groups). Insulin secretion was also studied in these 3 groups using a new model of ex vivo pancreatic culture, where PINS was stimulated by nicotinic and nitrergic agonists with and without antagonists. Insulin was assayed in supernatants by ELISA. Results Pancreas nervous system density decreased with age in ND (P