Pancreatic gangliosides delay the onset of insulitis and hyperglycaemia in the low-dose streptozotocin mouse model.
Gangliosides have been shown to modulate autoimmune phenomena in experimental diabetes. The effects of a pancreatic ganglioside preparation or of a commercial brain ganglioside mixture on the insulitis and blood glucose levels in the low-dose streptozotocin mouse model of diabetes have been investigated. Fifty-five C57BL/6J male mice were grouped as follows: Group 1 (n = 20) was injected intraperitoneally with repeated low doses of streptozotocin; Group 2 (n = 10) received streptozotocin as above but was also injected with a pancreatic ganglioside preparation equivalent to 2 micrograms sialic acid 2 h before each streptozotocin dose; Group 3 (n = 15) received streptozotocin and brain-derived gangliosides in the same dose as that of pancreatic gangliosides; Group 4 (n = 10) consisted of normal animals. Half of the mice were killed on day 12 and the others on day 24 from the beginning of treatment. On day 12, among the streptozotocin-injected animals only those treated with pancreatic gangliosides remained normoglycaemic, whereas on day 24 all streptozotocin mice were hyperglycaemic. Such a result paralleled the data pertaining to insulitis scores. In conclusion, pancreatic gangliosides have a short-term protective role on the development of diabetes in the low-dose streptozotocin model, an effect therefore linked to tissue-related differences in the glycosphingolipid composition.
Anastasi
E
E
Department of Endocrinology, Clinica Medica 2, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
Tiberti
C
C
Sensi
M
M
Ponte
E
E
Filippetti
R
R
Dotta
F
F
Vecci
E
E
Fiori
M G
MG
Di Mario
U
U
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010179:Pancreas / Q000737:chemistry; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors
D005732:Gangliosides; D013311:Streptozocin