title: Effect of chronic rosiglitazone, metformin and glyburide treatment on beta-cell mass, function and insulin sensitivity in mZDF rats.
abstract: Here we investigate the effect of rosiglitazone (RSG), metformin (MET) and glyburide (GLIB) on plasma glucose levels, beta-cell mass, function and insulin sensitivity in 10-week-old diabetic male Zucker diabetic fatty (mZDF) rats using quantitative morphometry and a mathematical model beta-cell mass, insulin and glucose kinetics (betaIG). At treatment start, 10-week-old diabetic mZDF rats were severely hyperglycaemic and had very low beta-cell function (insulin secretory capacity). RSG treatment significantly lowered plasma glucose levels in 67% of the mZDF rats. MET was effective at lowering plasma glucose levels in 33% of the mZDF rats, while GLIB was completely ineffective at lowering blood glucose levels in 10-week-old mZDF rats. RSG treatment prevented the fall in beta-cell mass after 6-8 weeks of treatment accompanied by a significant decrease in beta-cell death while MET treatment had no effect on beta-cell mass. RSG treatment increased insulin sensitivity 10-fold, increased beta-cell function fivefold and modestly increased beta-cell mass 1.4-fold. MET treatment increased insulin sensitivity fourfold, with no significant effect on beta-cell function or mass. Although RSG treatment was highly successful in lowering plasma glucose levels, the 33% of mZDF rats that did not respond to the treatment had significantly lower beta-cell function prior to treatment start compared with the responder group. Thus, the low level of beta-cell function at treatment start may explain why none of these agents were completely effective at lowering blood glucose levels in 10-week-old diabetic mZDF rats. Nevertheless, these data suggest that the preservation of beta-cell mass and improvement in beta-cell function play a role in the overall beneficial effect of RSG in 10-week-old diabetic mZDF rats.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McDonald-Dyck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benkoczi
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Finegood
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008954:Models, Biological; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D008687:Metformin; D005905:Glyburide