Modification of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats by pretreatment with cortisone.
Cortisone pretreatment considerably enhances the mortality of young, male, streptozotocin-injected Holtzman rats. In those that survive, cortisone pretreatment decreases the ensuing hyperglycaemia, extends the period during which streptozotocin-induced B cell damage can be observed from less than two to as much as four to seven days and permits the persistence of poorly granulated B cells in such animals. These effects are at least partially attributable to a cortisone-induced augmentation of the total B cell mass. Compared with the high degree of protection against alloxan-induced damage afforded the pancreatic B cells of cortisone-pretreated rabbits, the protective effect of cortisone against B cell destruction in streptozotocin-injected rats is thus much more limited in scope. Species differences as well as differing pathogenetic mechanisms may account for these results.
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003348:Cortisone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000494:pharmacology
D001786:Blood Glucose; D013311:Streptozocin; D003348:Cortisone