title: Dietary zinc supplementation to the donor improves insulin secretion after islet transplantation in chemically induced diabetic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Zinc (Zn) is related to insulin synthesis, storage, and secretion. This study demonstrates the effects of Zn supplementation in donor rats on the outcomes of islet transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Donor rats received 3 different regimens of dietary Zn supplementation for 2 weeks before undergoing pancreas donation: a standard diet containing Zn at 50 ppm (control), 1 ppm (low-Zn group) or 1000 ppm (high-Zn group), respectively. Diabetic recipient rats underwent islet transplantation, and the blood glucose levels and insulin secretion were monitored for 7 days after transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum and pancreatic Zn levels at the time of donation were significantly lower in the low-Zn group (48.8 ± 25.5 µg/dL and 11.3 ± 1.9 µg/g) and higher in the high-Zn group (147.3 ± 17.6 µg/dL and 18.7 ± 2.2 µg/g) when compared with those observed in the controls (118.7 ± 7.9 µg/dL and 14.6 ± 2.0 µg/g) (P < 0.05). The blood glucose levels became re-elevated 2 days after transplantation in rats receiving islet grafts from the controls and the low-Zn groups. In contrast, in the rats that received islets from the high-Zn groups, these were maintained within a reference range (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate that a Zn-rich diet for donor rats improves the function of islet grafts in chemically induced diabetic rats.
authors: From the *Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki; and †Department of Digestive and General Surgery, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan.
authors: Takehiro
authors: T
authors: Mishima
authors: Tamotsu
authors: T
authors: Kuroki
authors: Yoshitsugu
authors: Y
authors: Tajima
authors: Tomohiko
authors: T
authors: Adachi
authors: Masataka
authors: M
authors: Hirabaru
authors: Takayuki
authors: T
authors: Tanaka
authors: Amane
authors: A
authors: Kitasato
authors: Mitsuhisa
authors: M
authors: Takatsuki
authors: Susumu
authors: S
authors: Eguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000378:metabolism; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D015032:Zinc