Improvement of glucose and lipid metabolism in diabetic rats
treated with molybdate.
[diaeresis]ozcelikay, A. Tanju, Dominique J. Becker*, Lumbe N.
Ongemba, Anne-Marie Pottier, Jean-Claude Henquin, and Sonia M.
Brichard.
Endocrinology and Metabolism Unit, University of Louvain, Faculty
of Medicine, UCL 55.30, Avenue Hippocrate 55, B-1200 Brussels,
Belgium
APStracts 2:0189E, 1995.
Molybdenum (Mo) mimics certain insulin actions in vitro. We have
investigated the effects of oral administration of Na2MoO4 for 8
weeks on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in streptozotocin-diabetic
rats. Mo decreased hyperglycaemia and glucosuria by 75%, and
corrected the elevation of plasma non esterified fatty acids.
Tolerance to glucose loads was improved and glycogen stores were
replenished. These effects were not due to a rise of insulinaemia. In
liver, Mo restored the blunted mRNA and activity of glucokinase and
pyruvate kinase and decreased to normal phosphoenolpyruvate
carboxykinase values. Finally, Mo totally reversed the low expression
and activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase in
liver, but not in white adipose tissue. In conclusion, Mo exerts a
marked blood glucose-lowering effect in diabetic rats by an insulin
-like action. This effect results in part from a restoration of
hepatic glucose metabolism and is associated with a tissue-specific
correction of lipogenic enzyme gene expression, both processes being
essentially mediated by reversal of impaired pretranslational
regulatory mechanisms. These observations raise new therapeutic
perspectives in diabetes, particularly in the insulin-resistant
condition.
Received 11 May 1995; accepted in final form 24 August 1995.
APS Manuscript Number E212-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Endocrinol. Metab.).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 23 September 1995.