Effect of intensive insulin treatment on the liver in hyperglycemic rats with liver injury

Objective　To reproduce a liver injury model in hyperglycemic rats, and investigate the effect of intensive insulin therapy on the liver. Methods　Streptozotocin (STZ) and D-gal were injected to reproduce hyperglycemic liver injury model in rats. These rats were divided into intensive insulin group (with blood glucose controlled at 6-8mmol/L) and conventional treatment group (with blood glucose 9-12mmol/L). Before and 1, 3, 5, 7 days after the reproduction of the model, the rats were sacrificed, and alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, albumin, total protein, alkaline phosphatase were determined. The pathological sections of the liver tissues from the model rats and normal rats were made, they were examined after HE staining. Electron microscopic examination was also performed for the liver tissue of the 7-d models. Results　Liver injury model of rats with hyperglycemia was successfully reproduced. Intensive insulin therapy can reduce the death risk in model rats. The mortality of rats was lower in intensive insulin group than in conventional treatment group (P＜0.01). After intensive insulin therapy, ALT, AST, T-Bil and ALP decreased, while albumin and total protein increased (P＜0.01 or P＜0.05). HE staining and transmission electron microscopy revealed that degeneration and necrosis of hepatocytes were ameliorated. Conclusion　The liver injury model of rats with hyperglycemia has been successfully reproduced. Intensive insulin therapy can decrease the mortality of model rats and reduce the degree of rat liver injury, and the results show a prospect for clinical application. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2013.01