Antioxidant activity of chito-oligosaccharides on pancreatic islet cells in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the antioxidant activity of chito-oligosaccharides (COSs) on pancreatic islet cells in diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin.


METHODS
The antioxidant effect of COSs on pancreatic islet cells was detected under optical microscopy and with colorimetric assay and gel electrophoresis. The activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, and content of malondialdehyde in serum and tissue slices of pancreas were examined after 60 d to determine the effect of COSs in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.


RESULTS
COSs can prohibit the apoptosis of pancreatic islet cells. All concentrations of COSs can improve the capability of total antioxidant capacity and activity of superoxide dismutase and decrease the content of malondialdehyde drastically. Morphological investigation in the pancreas showed that COSs have resulted in the reduction of islets, loss of pancreatic cells, and nuclear pyknosis of pancreatic cells.


CONCLUSIONS
COSs possess various biological activities and can be used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
Yuan
Wen-Peng
WP
Biology Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250014, Shandong Province, China.
Liu
Bing
B
Liu
Chang-Heng
CH
Wang
Xiao-Jun
XJ
Zhang
Mian-Song
MS
Meng
Xiu-Mei
XM
Xia
Xue-Kui
XK
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002686:Chitin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D002686:Chitin; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013311:Streptozocin; D048271:Chitosan; D008687:Metformin; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase