Summary
Amounts of plasma lipids, apolipoprotein AI (apo AI) and apolipoprotein E (apo E)
were measured in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Plasma triglyceride and cholesterol
levels of diabetic rats were not significantly different from those of control rats.
Plasma apo AI levels of diabetic rats were significantly higher than those of control
rats (78.2±29.3 vs 27.2±3.4 mg/dl, P < 0.001), while plasma apo E levels of diabetic
rats were significantly lower than those of control rats (4.2±1.0 vs 13.9±5.3 mg/dl,
P< 0.001). Insulin treatment (12U/day) of diabetic rats decreased plasma apo AI levels
significantly (treated: 32.8±3.4, untreated: 48.7±6.2, control: 28.5±2.4 mg/dl) and
normalized plasma apo E levels (treated: 16.1 ± 1.7, untreated: 5.4±0.7, control:
15.8±1.3). Insulin injection (4U/day) to normal rats did not cause any changes in
both plasma apo AI and apo E levels.
The data indicate that diabetes is not always accompanied by hyperlipidemia, however
this inevitably carries apoprotein abnormalities characterized by the high plasma
apo AI and low apo E levels, which are reversible with insulin treatment. The changes
in the levels of plasma apo AI and apo E could be related to the development of atherosclerosis
in diabetes.
Key-Words:
Apolipoprotein AI
-
Apolipoprotein E
-
Diabetic Rats
