Effect of timely insulin administration on pancreatic B-cells of Otsuka-Long-Evans-Tokushima-Fatty (OLETF) strain rats. An animal model of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).

Morphological changes of the pancreas and impairment of pancreatic B-cell function in a model rat (Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty [OLETF]) with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus might be the result of over-activity of B-cells to compensate for insulin insensitivity. To test this possibility, we studied whether the histological and functional alterations in the pancreas of male OLETF rats were improved by treatment with insulin for a certain period, which might reduce the burden to B-cells. Groups of 6 male OLETF rats and 5 or 4 male non-diabetic control Long Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats received injections of insulin (Ultralente MC; 10 U/kg/day to OLETF rats, 5 U/kg/day to LETO rats) or saline subcutaneously, once a day for 3 weeks from 24 weeks of age. Then their insulin responses to glucose (200 mg/dl) and arginine (10 mmol/l) were examined by perfusion of the pancreas. The morphological features of their pancreata were also examined. The insulin response to glucose in OLETF rats treated with insulin was significantly higher than that of OLETF rats treated with saline (sigma IRI 142.5 +/- 27.0 vs. 37.4 +/- 6.3 ng/ml.20 min, p < 0.05) and unlike in the latter showed the normal two phases. The morphological changes of the pancreas in the insulin-treated OLETF rats were remarkably ameliorated, animals showing no enlargement and only slight fibrosis of islets. Thus treatment with insulin was effective for preventing B-cell dysfunction and morphological changes of the pancreas in NIDDM model rats.