title: Administration of conophylline and betacellulin-delta4 increases the beta-cell mass in neonatal streptozotocin-treated rats.
abstract: The present study was conducted to examine the effect of administration of conophylline (CnP) and betacellulindelta4 (BTCdelta4) on the beta-cell mass in neonatal streptozotocin-treated rats (neonatal STZ rats). STZ (100 microg/g) was injected into neonatal rats, and then CnP (2 microg/g) and/or BTCdelta4 (200 pmol/g) were administered to neonatal STZ rats for 1 week. The plasma glucose concentration was monitored, and an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (ipGTT) was performed on day 8 and at 8 weeks after the STZ injection. In neonatal STZ rats treated with control solution (S group), the plasma glucose concentration increased for several days after the STZ injection, returned to nearly normal levels, and then increased gradually after six weeks of age. Eight weeks after the STZ-injection, the plasma glucose concentration was increased significantly compared to that of normal rats. The glucose response to ipGTT was significantly reduced in neonatal STZ rats treated with CnP (CnP group), BTCdelta4 (delta4 group) and CnP+BTCdelta4 (CnP+delta4 group). The beta-cell mass and the insulin content of the pancreas were significantly increased in the CnP group and delta4 group. The effect of CnP+delta4 was greater than that of CnP alone or BTCdelta4 alone. CnP+BTCdelta4 significantly increased the number of PDX-1-positive ductal cells and the number of insulin/BrdU double-positive ductal cells. These results indicate the efficacy of CnP and BTCdelta4 in increasing the beta-cells mass of neonatal STZ-treated rats.
authors: Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi 371-8512, Japan. tom-kode@mte.biglobe.ne.jp
authors: Tsutomu
authors: T
authors: Kodera
authors: Satoko
authors: S
authors: Yamada
authors: Yoritsuna
authors: Y
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Akemi
authors: A
authors: Hara
authors: Yuji
authors: Y
authors: Tanaka
authors: Masaharu
authors: M
authors: Seno
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Umezawa
authors: Izumi
authors: I
authors: Takei
authors: Itaru
authors: I
authors: Kojima
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D019540:Area Under Curve; D066259:Betacellulin; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D066259:Betacellulin; D001786:Blood Glucose; C587853:Btc protein, rat; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007328:Insulin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids; C099167:conophylline; C084010:pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 protein; D007633:Keratins; D005947:Glucose