[Autoradiographic studies on protein metabolism and histochemical demonstration of the brain zinc content in diabetes mellitus. 1. Comparison in experimental streptozotocin-induced diabetes].

By application of streptozotocin diabetes mellitus is induced in rats: 40 mg/kg body weight streptozotocin produce a fairly serious diabetes with minimal ketosis, 125 mg/kg body weight streptozotocin cause a severe diabetic keto-acidosis. After 72 hours these animals and also a group of control animals receive 8.33 mCi/animal 3H-leucine intraperitoneally. By means of stripping film autoradiograms the rates of uptake of 3H-leucine in different areas of the rat brain are measured. The values of the control animals are compared with those of a fairly serious diabetes and those of a severe diabetic keto-acidosis. In the regions of the neocortex parietalis and of the thalamus the 3H-leucine values of the diabetic animals are considerably lower in comparison with the controls, and that irrespective of the degree of severity of the diabetic disease. Compared with the control animals the 3H-leucine values of diabetic animals decrease according to the degree of severity of the disease within the Ammon's horn and the dentate fascia. Within the Ammon's horn and dentate fascia also the zinc contents change very specifically in different areas with the degree of severity of diabetes mellitus. The zinc is identified on H2S-alcohol fixed brains by means of a photographic development. The particular significance of the Ammon's horn and the dentate fascia concerning diabetic metabolic conditions is discussed.