title: Ranolazine increases β-cell survival and improves glucose homeostasis in low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mice.
abstract: In addition to its anti-ischemic and antianginal effects, ranolazine has been shown to lower hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) in patients with coronary artery disease and diabetes. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that ranolazine lowers HbA(1c) because of improved glucose homeostasis in an animal model. Diabetes in mice was induced by giving multiple low doses of streptozotocin. Ranolazine was given twice daily via an oral gavage (20 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. Fasting plasma glucose levels were significantly lower in the ranolazine-treated group (187 ± 19 mg/dl) compared with the vehicle group (273 ± 23 mg/dl) at 8 weeks. HbA(1c) was 5.8 ± 0.4% in the vehicle group and 4.5 ± 0.2% in the ranolazine-treated group (p < 0.05). Glucose disposal during the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin tolerance test were not different between the two groups; however, during OGTT, peak insulin levels were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in ranolazine-treated mice. Mice treated with ranolazine had healthier islet morphology and significantly (p < 0.01) higher β-cell mass (69 ± 2% per islet) than the vehicle group (50 ± 5% per islet) as determined from hematoxylin and eosin staining. The number of apoptotic cells was significantly (p < 0.05) less in the pancreas of the ranolazine-treated group (14 ± 2% per islet) compared with the vehicle group (24 ± 4% per islet). In addition, ranolazine increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in rat and human islets in a glucose-dependent manner. These data suggest that ranolazine may be a novel antidiabetic agent that causes β-cell preservation and enhances insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner in diabetic mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Gilead Palo Alto Inc., Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Dongmin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Luiz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Belardinelli
authors.forename: Arvinder K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dhalla
mesh_terms: D000083:Acetanilides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069458:Ranolazine; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000083:Acetanilides; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D000069458:Ranolazine