Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate protects pancreatic β-cells from oxidative damage through regulation of FoxO1 activity in type 2 diabetes rats

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate （PDTC） can lower the bloot glucose level and improve the insulin sensitivity in diabeti, rats. However, the mechanisms underlying this effect o PDTC treatment in diabetic rats remained uncertain, h this study, we evaluated the mechanisms by which PDT（ conferred protection against oxidative damage to pancreat ic islet β-cells in rats with experimental type 2 diabete mellitus （DM）. DM in the rats was elicited by long-tern high-fat diet accompanied with a single intraperitonea （i.p.） injection of a low dose of streptozotocin. After a 7-da1 administration of PDTC （50 mg/kg/day i.p.）, blood glucos levels were measured and pancreatic tissues were collecte / for the determination of various biochemical and enzyma 1 ic activities using immunohistochemistry, immunofluoresI cence, and western blot techniques. The percentage o 1 apoptotic pancreatic islet β-cells was detected by flow cyto metry. The results showed that diabetic rats had elevate blood glucose levels and insulin resistance, accompanieq with an increase in malondialdehyde content, nitrotyrosin production, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression A decrease in superoxide dismutase and glutathione pero idase activities was also observed in DM rats, culminatin with elevated β-cell apoptosis. PDTC treatment significantl reduced the oxidative damage and the β-cell apoptosi and also increased the insulin production through down-reg lating FoxO1 acetylation and up-regulating nuclear PDX- level. These data suggested that PDTC can protect islet βcells from oxidative damage and improve insulin productio through regulation of PDX-1 and FoxO1 in a DM rat model.