Anti-diabetogenic effect of fusidic acid in diabetes prone BB rats.
Fusidic acid and its sodium salt (fusidin) are anti-staphylococcal drugs. In vitro studies have shown that they prevent the lymphocyte co-stimulatory activities of the cytokines IL-1 and IL-6 in a manner similar to that of cyclosporin A, and prevent the inhibitory effect of IL-1 on glucose-induced insulin production. As IL-1 and IL-6 are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of Type 1 diabetes, the aim of this study was to investigate whether fusidin could influence the disease incidence of the spontaneously diabetic BB rat model. Accordingly, a group of 50 BB rats receiving fusidin dissolved in their drinking water were compared to a control group of 55 rats over a period of 200 days. The incidence of diabetes was found to be 52% in the experimental group and 71% in the control group (P < 0.05). The degree of insulitis and the number of islets at histological examination were similar among the non-diabetic animals whereas the diabetic fusidin-treated animals showed a higher degree of islet preservation than the diabetic control rats. The results are highly indicative of an anti-diabetogenic effect of fusidin.
Buschard
K
K
Bartholin Instituttet, Kommunehospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Pedersen
C
C
Hansen
S V
SV
Hageman
I
I
Aaen
K
K
Bendtzen
K
K
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005672:Fusidic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005947:Glucose / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D007249:Inflammation; D007328:Insulin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011913:Rats, Inbred BB; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors
D005672:Fusidic Acid; D005947:Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D007375:Interleukin-1; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors