title: Pharmacokinetics of aminoguanidine administration and effects on the diabetes frequency in nonobese diabetic mice.
abstract: In vitro studies suggest that intra-islet nitric oxide production may contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. We tested whether aminoguanidine (AG), a competitive inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase, might block beta cell destruction and prevent insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in vivo. A total of 50 female nonobese diabetic mice, from the time of weaning until 32 wk of age, received injections (i.p.) twice daily with 50 mg AG/kg body weight and received AG in drinking water (350 mg/liter). A total of 50 littermates treated with vehicle alone served as controls. A 24-hr pharmacokinetic analysis showed that AG was readily absorbed after i.p. administration, peaked in plasma (9.0 micrograms/ml) at 0.5 hr and had a half-life of 1.88 hr. Steady-state values for the area under the curve for the therapeutic regimen were 20.51 and 16.35 (micrograms)(hr)/ml for the 0000 to 1600 and 1600 to 2400 hr, respectively. In terms of therapy, life-table analysis indicated the frequency of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (6/30 AG-treated vs. 11/31 vehicle-treated, P = .25) and insulitis scores (2.0 +/- 1.1 vs. 2.4 +/- 1.2 in nondiabetic AG- and vehicle-treated mice at 32 wk, respectively, P = .20) were similar in both groups. Flow cytometric analysis revealed no quantitative differences in islet infiltrating macrophages, CD4+ or CD8+ T lymphocytes between groups of animals randomly killed at 8, 16 and 32 wk. Although not eliminating a role for nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, prophylactic treatment with AG did not significantly impact the onset of insulitis or diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bowman
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Simell
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Peck
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cornelius
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luchetta
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Look
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Maclaren
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Atkinson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D006146:Guanidines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006146:Guanidines; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; C004479:pimagedine