title: The effects of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside on the pancreas in neonatal streptozotocin-diabetic rats.
abstract: In this study, we aimed to determine the alterations of beta-cell ultrastructure, insulin mRNA and protein products of the same gene on the pancreas of rats following long-term treatment of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside (AICAR). A single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) 100 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) to 2-day-old newborn (n2) rats. The rats were divided into three groups. The first group was the n2 STZ-diabetic rats. The second group consisted of n2 STZ-diabetic rats treated with AICAR 10 mg/kg/day for one month. The third group was non-diabetic control rats. Our findings demonstrate that AICAR treatment decreases the blood glucose level but increases the body weight in n2 STZ-diabetic rats. In the AICAR-treated group, numerous beta cells showed increased insulin gene expression. We also observed increased exocytosis in this group, in an ultrastructural manner. As a result, it is suggested that AICAR may induce insulin synthesis and betacell regeneration in n2 STZ-diabetic rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bolkent
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kaya-Dagistanli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tuncdemir
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yilmazer
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Akkan
mesh_terms: D000620:Aminoimidazole Carboxamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D012265:Ribonucleotides / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012265:Ribonucleotides; D000620:Aminoimidazole Carboxamide; C031143:AICA ribonucleotide