Effects of methimazole on the onset of type 2 diabetes in leptin receptor-deficient rats.
We investigated the effects of methimazole, an anti-thyroid drug, on the onset of type 2 diabetes in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. For this, 0.03% methimazole was administered to 7-week-old, pre-diabetic ZDF rats in drinking water for 5 weeks and the animals were sacrificed at 12 weeks of age. Methimazole treatment to ZDF rats significantly reduced blood glucose levels, food intake, body weight, and serum T3 levels. Hepatocytes in ZDF-methi rats were more densely stained with eosin than those in ZDF rats because of low fat accumulation in ZDF-methi hepatocytes. The pancreatic islet in ZDF-methi rats was normal compared to that in ZDF rats. Glucagon, not insulin, immunoreactivity in ZDF-methi rats was significantly higher than that in ZDF-methi rats. These suggest that methimazole treatment may delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in leptin receptor-deficient rats and also suggests that thyroid hormones may be necessary for the onset of diabetes.
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 Program for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
In Koo
IK
Hwang
Il Yong
IY
Kim
Yo Na
YN
Kim
Sun Shin
SS
Yi
Yu Hee
YH
Lee
Eun Jeong
EJ
Ju
In Se
IS
Lee
In-Sun
IS
Park
Moo-Ho
MH
Won
Yeo Sung
YS
Yoon
Je Kyung
JK
Seong
D000818:Animals; D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008713:Methimazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics
D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D008713:Methimazole