Low catalase activity in blood is associated with the diabetes caused by alloxan.
BACKGROUND
Hydrogen peroxide is enzymatically processed by catalase, and catalase deficiency in blood is known as acatalasemia. We examined whether low catalase activity is a risk factor for diabetes mellitus.


METHODS
Blood glucose, insulin and glucose tolerance test were examined in acatalasemic and normal mice under non-stress and oxidative stress conditions. Alloxan administration was used as oxidative stress.


RESULTS
Alloxan, which was a drug that caused diabetes mellitus, mostly generated hydrogen peroxide by the reaction of alloxan and reduced glutathione, in vitro. Incidence of hyperglycemia in alloxan-untreated acatalasemic mice was as low as that in the normal mice. However, the incidence of acatalasemia mice treated with alloxan was higher than that in normal mice, and the number of pancreatic beta-cells in the acatalasemic mice was less than that in normal mice.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that low catalase activity in the blood is associated with the diabetes mellitus caused by alloxan administration.
Takemoto
Kazunori
K
Kake Medical Science Education Center, Okayama, Japan.
Tanaka
Miho
M
Iwata
Hiroshi
H
Nishihara
Ryou
R
Ishihara
Kohji
K
Wang
Da-Hong
DH
Ogino
Keiki
K
Taniuchi
Koji
K
Masuoka
Noriyoshi
N
D020642:Acatalasia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D000496:Alloxan / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006461:Hemolysis; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008853:Microscopy; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D000496:Alloxan; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002374:Catalase; D005978:Glutathione