Effect of troglitazone on blood insulin levels after pancreas transplantation with systemic venous drainage in rats.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Troglitazone is a new oral antidiabetic agent and has been reported to reduce insulin resistance and improve peripheral hyperinsulinemia in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. To examine the effect of troglitazone on insulin regulation after pancreas transplantation with systemic venous drainage, we measured peripheral glucose and insulin levels and performed an intravenous glucose tolerance test. METHODS: We divided the rats into four groups diabetic rats with a pancreas graft and administration of troglitazone at 40 mg/day orally (group P+T, n=4), rats with a pancreas graft only (group P, n=4), age-matched normal rats (group N, n=5), and diabetic rats (group DM, n=4). RESULTS: Fasting insulin levels in group P were relatively higher than those in group N, whereas the values in group P+T were normalized. In the intravenous glucose tolerance test, troglitazone clearly regulates sigma immunoreactive insulin levels of pancreas transplanted rats (P vs. P+T 244+/-23 vs. 145+/-14 microU/ml, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Hyperinsulinemia induced by systemic venous drainage, which may progress atherosclerosis, can be controlled with troglitazone treatment.