title: The effect of insulin in combination with selenium on blood glucose and GLUT4 expression in the cardiac muscle of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: We evaluated the effect of a combination of low doses of insulin (1 U/kg/day) and selenium (180 microg/kg/day) on general physiological parameters and the level of glucose transporter (GLUT4) in the cardiac muscle of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic rats were treated with insulin, selenium and a combination of insulin and selenium for 4 weeks. The levels of blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c were estimated; the level of the GLUT4 in the cardiac muscle was examined by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Insulin in combination with selenium could significantly lower blood glucose and HbA1c levels and could restore disturbances in GLUT4 level in the cardiac muscle. The treatment with insulin was only partially effective in the restoration of diabetic alterations. We conclude that there was cooperation between insulin and selenium, and that the treatment of diabetic rats with combined doses of insulin and selenium was effective in the control of blood glucose and correction of altered GLUT4 distribution in diabetic rat hearts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Tian-Jiao
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Bing-Xiang
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Ya-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Wei-Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Zang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018038:Sodium Selenite / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013311:Streptozocin; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D018038:Sodium Selenite; D013311:Streptozocin; D014131:Trace Elements