title: Effect of ezetimibe on insulin secretion in db/db diabetic mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of ezetimibe on the insulin secretion in db/db mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The db/db diabetic mice aged 8 weeks were randomly assigned into 2 groups and intragastrically treated with ezetimibe or placebo for 6 weeks. The age matched db/m mice served as controls. At the end of experiment, glucose tolerance test was performed and then the pancreas was collected for immunohistochemistry. In addition, in vitro perfusion of pancreatic islets was employed for the detection of insulin secretion in the first phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the ezetimibe group, the fasting blood glucose was markedly reduced, and the total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly lowered when compared with those in the control group (P < 0.05). At 120 min after glucose tolerance test, the area under curve in the ezetimibe group was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.05), but the AUC(INS0-30) was markedly higher. In vitro perfusion of pancreatic islets revealed the first phase insulin secretion was improved. In addition, the insulin expression in the pancreas in the ezetimibe group was significantly increased as compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ezetimibe can improve glucose tolerance, recover the first phase insulin secretion, and protect the function of β cells in mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210002, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Jiaqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Shisen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001384:Azetidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000517:prevention & control; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D020297:Mice, Congenic; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D011897:Random Allocation; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001384:Azetidines; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D000069438:Ezetimibe