INHIBITION OF NITRIC-OXIDE FORMATION BY AMINOGUANIDINE - AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

1. Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune disease leadin g to pancreatic beta-cell destruction, an event that may, at least par tially, be induced by the formation of nitric oxide. 2. Under the infl uence of cytokines, the enzyme nitric oxide synthase is induced. 3. Bl ockage of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase has been found t o protect against insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in some animal m odels. 4. Aminoguanidine has been found to be a fairly specific inhibi tor of cytokine inducible nitric oxide synthase. 5. Aminoguanidine may reduce the blood flow to the pancreatic islets in vivo and, at higher concentrations, also impair insulin secretion by the beta-cells, whic h may make the compound less useful in attempts to prevent insulin dep endent diabetes mellitus. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.