title: Antidiabetic effects of chitooligosaccharides on pancreatic islet cells in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of chitooligosaccharides on proliferation of pancreatic islet cells, release of insulin and 2 h plasma glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro, the effect of chitooligosaccharides on proliferation of pancreatic islet cells and release of insulin was detected with optical microscopy, colorimetric assay, and radioimmunoassay respectively. In vivo, the general clinical symptoms, 2 h plasma glucose, urine glucose, oral glucose tolerance were examined after sixty days of feeding study to determine the effect of chitooligosaccharides in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chitooligosaccharides could effectively accelerate the proliferation of pancreatic islet cells. Chitooligosaccharides (100 mg/L) had direct and prominent effect on pancreastic beta cells and insulin release from islet cells. All concentrations of chitooligosaccharides could improve the general clinical symptoms of diabetic rats, decrease the 2 h plasma glucose and urine glucose, and normalize the disorders of glucose tolerance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chitooligosaccharides possess various biological activities and can be used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wan-Shun
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bao-Qin
authors.initials: BQ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yu-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D048271:Chitosan