β-Carotene Supplementation Increases Insulin Expression in the Endocrine Pancreas and Serves as a Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus induced by Chronic Ethanol Consumption. An Initial Approach

Alcohol is believed to harm acinar cells, pancreatic ductal epithelium, and pancreatic stellate cells. After giving ethanol and/or β-carotene to C57BL/6 mice, our goal was to evaluate the insulin expression in the endocrine pancreas. There were six groups of C57BL/6 mice: 1. Group C (control), 2. Group LA (low-dose alcohol), 3. Group MA (moderate-dose alcohol), 4. Group B (β-carotene), 5. Group LA+B (low-dose alcohol combined with β-carotene), and 6. Group MA+B (moderate-dose alcohol combined with β-carotene). After the animals were euthanized on day 28, each specimen’s pancreatic tissue was taken. Next, we used immunohistochemistry with the primary antibody anti-insulin IgG Guinea pig (ab7842, Abcam, Cambridge, UK). Finally, the area and integrated optical density of insulin were assessed in the β-cells of pancreatic islets. Each experimental group shows statistically significant differences from the C group (P<0.05). However, the groups exposed to β-carotene supplementation had a higher β-cell mass area in comparison to the unsupplemented groups. Also, it was found an increased area and IOD of β-cell in LA+B and MA+B in comparison to LA and MA groups (P<0.001), respectively. These findings suggest that exposure to β-carotene reduces ethanol damage in β-cells and increases insulin sensitivity even during ethanol consumption.