Mar. Demello et E. Luciano, EFFECTS OF PROTEIN-MALNUTRITION ON GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE IN RATS WITH ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETES, Brazilian journal of medical and biological research, 28(4), 1995, pp. 467-470
Protein-calorie malnutrition produces glucose intolerance and reduced
insulin release in response to glucose. Rats adapted to low- or high-p
rotein diets show an increased resistance to the diabetogenic action o
f a single dose of streptozotocin or alloxan. To determine the effects
of dietary protein level on pancreatic function, we measured serum gl
ucose levels under basal conditions and during the oral glucose tolera
nce test (GTT) performed before and after a single dose of alloxan adm
inistered to rats fed a 25% or a 6% protein diet for a period of 8 wee
ks. The incidence of mild hyperglycemia (serum glucose >250 mg/dl) was
greater among the rats fed the 25% protein diet (81%) than among thos
e fed the 6% protein diet (42%). During the GTT performed before allox
an administration the serum glucose levels of the rats fed the 6% prot
ein diet were not found to be significantly different from those of ra
ts fed the 25% protein diet. During the GTT performed after alloxan in
jection all rats showed intolerance to the substrate (serum glucose >1
60 mg/dl 120 min after glucose administration) regardless of whether b
asal serum glucose was normal or high. In summary, alloxan was less ef
fective in producing basal hyperglycemia in the rats fed the 6% protei
n diet than in those fed the 25% protein diet but caused glucose intol
erance during the oral GTT in both groups. Thus, it seems that feeding
a 6% protein diet to rats offers only partial protection against the
toxic effects of alloxan.