M. Giroix, A. Sener, B. Portha
Dec 1, 1994
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Journal
Biochemical medicine and metabolic biology
Abstract
The monomethyl ester of succinic acid (SME) was recently proposed as a novel tool for stimulation of proinsulin biosynthesis and insulin release in animal models of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In the present study, either saline or SME (14 mmol/day) was infused for 3 days to control rats, animals injected with streptozotocin during the neonatal period, and Goto-Kakizaki rats with inherited diabetes. The infusion of SME failed to correct the anomalies found in the islets of diabetic rats, namely, a decreased activity of the mitochondrial FAD-linked glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, a low insulin content, and an impaired secretory response to various nutrient secretagogues including D-glucose, 2-ketoisocaproate, and the combination of L-leucine and L-glutamine. These findings raise the question of whether a more prolonged administration of SME is required to raise the insulin store and improve the secretory potential of the endocrine pancreas in animals with type 2 diabetes.