title: Antioxidant activity of chito-oligosaccharides on pancreatic islet cells in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Biology Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250014, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Peng
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chang-Heng
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mian-Song
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiu-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Xue-Kui
authors.initials: XK
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D002686:Chitin; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013311:Streptozocin; D048271:Chitosan; D008687:Metformin; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase