Silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) reduces vasopressin expression in the hypothalamus of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.
BACKGROUND
Hyperglycemia plays an important role in the development and progression of diabetic neuropathy, with which the expression of vasopressin is associated. This study was designed to investigate the effect of silkworm on the expression of vasopressin, a hormone synthesized in hypothalamic area, in the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) of hypothalamus in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice.


METHODS
Vasopressin-positive neurons in the PVN and SON of STZ-induced diabetic mice were identified by immunohistochemistry. Blood glucose levels were measured by One Touch Basic glucose measurement system. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance (IPGT) tests were performed on overnight fasted mice.


RESULTS
STZ-induced diabetic mice fed with 0.4% silkworm group resulted in significantly decreased expression of vasopressin-positive neurons (107.8 +/- 5.4 in PVN and 140.8 +/- 8.5 in SON, p<0.05). In addition, blood glucose levels increased significantly in STZ-induced diabetic group (p<0.05). In contrast, STZ-induced mice fed with 0.4% silkworm group showed significantly decreased blood glucose level (p<0.05.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations may provide a scientific foundation for the increasingly used silkworm powder as an adjunct in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, especially diabetic neuropathy.
Kim
Mi-Ja
MJ
Department of Obesity Management, Graduate School of Obesity Science, Dongduk Women's University, Seoul 136-714, Korea.
Hong
Seung-Jae
SJ
Yang
Jongsoo
J
Kim
Hye-Kyung
HK
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D012831:Bombyx / Q000737:chemistry*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000378:metabolism*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D014667:Vasopressins