PREVENTION OF DIABETES BY THYMIC HORMONE IN ALLOXAN-TREATED RATS

We investigated the effects of facteur thymique serique (FTS), a thymi c peptide hormone, on alloxan- and streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats. Pretreatment with intravenous injection of FTS significantly sup pressed both alloxan- and streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia. The ef fects of FTS were time dependent. FTS suppressed hyperglycemia in a do se range of 1-6600 mu g/kg. Alloxan-induced hyperglycemia was complete ly prevented when FTS was injected in doses of 40-50 mu g/kg 1 min bef ore injection of alloxan. Histological examination of islet areas show ed that alloxan-induced destruction of beta-cells was inhibited by FTS . FTS had no significant effects on lymphocyte subsets and immunity-re lated cells or on plasma superoxide dismutase activity and total gluta thione level. The blood half-life time of exogenously injected FTS was short (2-3 min), indicating acute internalization of FTS into pancrea tic beta-cells. Our results suggested that FTS acutely and directly bl ocks some initial effect of alloxan, preventing the destruction of bet a-cells.