Gene expression profile of tungstate-induced beta cell mass increase in STZ rats

Background and Aims: It is well demonstrated that in the beta cell population of the pancreas there is a dynamic turnover, which results from the net balance of several processes; beta cell replication, apoptosis and neogenesis. These processes have been studied in partial pancreatectomy and glucagon-like peptide 1 treated animals, where an increase in pancreas regeneration has been observed. Similarly, sodium tungstate, which decreases hyperglycemia in several animal models of diabetes, promotes a rise in the beta cell mass of nSTZ and STZ animals. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this pancreas regeneration remain unknown. Therefore the objective of this study is to identify which genes are up or down regulated in the increase of the beta cell population of STZ rats treated with sodium tungstate. Materials and methods: Adult male Wistar (225-250 g) rats were kept under a constant 12-hour light-dark cycle and rats were kept under a constant 12-hour light-dark cycle and were allowed to eat and drink freely. Diabetes was induced by a single i.p. injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (70 mg/Kg body weight) in 0.9% NaCl with 100 mmol/L sodium citrate buffer (pH 4.5). Diabetes was confirmed by determination of its hyperglycaemia (>500mg/dL [Reflotron, Roche Diagnostic]). Healthy rats received an i.p. injection of the vehicle. Treatment started 7 days after the STZ or vehicle injection. Diabetic and healthy rats were divided into two groups. In the first (untreated), rats received deionized drinking water; in the second (treated) group, they were given a solution of sodium tungstate. During the first week of treatment, the rats received a solution of 0.7 mg/mL and in the next 4-5 weeks, the concentration was increased to 2 mg/mL. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed and pancreatic RNA isolated. Three chips (Affymetrix RAE-230A) were hybridized for each of the four experimental groups (untreated and treated healthy rats and untreated and treated diabetic rats). The raw intensity data obtained from the microarrays was normalized and summarized using the Bioconductor package RMA. Keywords = pancreas regeneration Keywords = STZ Keywords = diabetes Keywords = tungstate Keywords = insulin-like agents Keywords = beta cell plasticity Keywords = neogenesis Keywords: ordered