PROTECTION AGAINST ALLOXAN DIABETES BY LOW-DOSE CO-60 GAMMA-IRRADIATION BEFORE ALLOXAN ADMINISTRATION

We evaluated the protective effects of a single low-dose whole body Co -60 gamma irradiation against alloxan-induced hyperglycemia in rats. i ) In rats that did not receive alloxan, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the pancreas significantly increased after irradiation at a dose of 0.5 or 1.0 Gy, ii) In rats that received alloxan, plasma li pid peroxide levels, pancreatic lipid peroxide levels and blood glucos e were increased. However, the increase in pancreatic lipid peroxide l evel was prevented by irradiation at a dose of 0.5 or 1.0 Gy; and the increase in blood glucose, by irradiation at 0.5 Gy. iii) After alloxa n administration, degranulation was observed in beta cells, but this w as prevented by low-dose irradiation at 0.5 Gy.