When fed a high-energy (HE) diet, diabetes-prone (DP) Psammomys obesus develop type 2 diabetes with altered glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS).-Cell stimulus-secretion coupling was investigated in islets isolated from DP P. obesus fed a low-energy (LE) diet (DP-LE) and after 5 days on a HE diet (DP-HE). DP-LE islets cultured overnight in 5 mmol/l glucose displayed glucose dose-dependent increases in NAD(P)H, mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP/ (ATP ؉ ADP) ratio, cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca 2؉ ] c ), and insulin secretion. In comparison, DP-HE islets cultured overnight in 10 mmol/l glucose were 80% degranulated and displayed an increased sensitivity to glucose at the level of glucose metabolism, [Ca 2؉ ] c , and insulin secretion. These changes in DP-HE islets were only marginally reversed after culture in 5 mmol/l glucose and were not reproduced in DP-LE islets cultured overnight in 10 mmol/l glucose, except for the 75% degranulation. Diabetes-resistant P. obesus remain normoglycemic on HE diet. Their -cell stimulus-secretion coupling was similar to that of DP-LE islets, irrespective of the type of diet. Thus, islets from diabetic P. obesus display an increased sensitivity to glucose at the level of glucose metabolism and a profound -cell degranulation, both of which may affect their in vivo GSIS. Diabetes 51:2552-2560, 2002 S timulation of insulin secretion by glucose requires oxidative metabolism of the sugar in -cells, with acceleration of ATP production and increase of the ATP/ADP ratio (1-4). The subsequent closure of ATP-sensitive K ϩ channels in the plasma membrane is followed by depolarization, opening of voltage-dependent Ca 2ϩ channels, and Ca 2ϩ influx. This leads to a rise with oscillations of the cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca 2ϩ ] c ), which triggers exocytosis of insulin-containing granules (5-7). Glucose metabolism also amplifies the efficacy of [Ca 2ϩ ] c on exocytosis, but the nature of the coupling factor(s) remains elusive (8).Type 2 diabetes is characterized by the association of insulin resistance and inappropriate insulin secretion by pancreatic -cells (9 -12). The gerbil Psammomys obesus is an attractive model of diet-induced type 2 diabetes because a diabetes-resistant (DR) subgroup has been separated from the diabetes-prone (DP) animals by assorted breeding (9,13). When fed a low-energy (LE) diet, DP P. obesus remain normoglycemic despite their marked insulin resistance. Within a few days on a high-energy (HE) diet, DP P. obesus develop hyperglycemia associated with hyperinsulinemia, rapidly followed by a progressive decline in -cell function leading to absolute insulin deficiency (14,15). In contrast, DR P. obesus are less hyperinsulinemic and remain normoglycemic on HE diet (16). Previous studies have shown that after 5 days on HE diet, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) is markedly altered in islets from DP but not DR P. obesus, possibly as a result of decreased insulin content, lower oxidative capacity, and altered protein kinase C ac...