An application to the measurement of rat hemoglobin A1c by new hemoglobin A1c immunoassay method (DCA-2000)

Diabetic nephropathy in KK and KK-Ay mice

KK mice and KK-Ay mice were examined for age related changes in blood and urinary biophysiological parameters. Blood hemoglobin A1c levels were significantly higher in KK-Ay and KK mice as compared to non-diabetic ddY mice. In both diabetic mice, especially KK-Ay mice, plasma insulin levels markedly increased at 2 to 4 months of age, and the urinary glucose and microalbumin levels and albumin-to-creatinine ratios increased dependent on age. Plasma thrombomodulin levels significantly increased at 2 to 4 months of age in both KK and KK-Ay mice. Mild enlargement of mesangial matrix and segmental proliferative glomerular nephritis were revealed in KK and KK-Ay mice, respectively, at 4 months of age. KK-Ay mice with insulin resistance and high urine mAlb level might be useful as models for the early stage of diabetic nephropathy.

Effect of vitamin E and allylamine on the proliferation of cultured aortic smooth muscle cells from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

To investigate the effect of vitamin E on the proliferation activity of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in diabetes mellitus, [3H]-thymidine incorporation was measured in cultured SMCs isolated from normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats treated with or without vitamin E and/or allylamine. Untreated diabetic rats demonstrated significantly elevated concentrations of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and malondialdehyde (MDA). Allylamine caused a further increase in serum MDA. Treatment with vitamin E decreased the serum concentrations of triglycerides and MDA in both allylamine-treated and -untreated diabetic rats. [3H]-Thymidine incorporation in cultured SMCs from diabetic rats was significantly increased compared with that from normal rats. SMCs from allylamine-treated diabetic rats showed an enhanced increase in thymidine incorporation compared with that from untreated diabetic rats. The increase in thymidine incorporation in SMCs from untreated and allylamine-treated diabetic rats was significantly reduced by the treatment with vitamin E. These observations suggest that vitamin E has a preventive effect on the proliferation of vascular SMCs in diabetes, and that this effect may be mediated through an enhancement of free radical scavenging.