Zincsulphate induced metallothionein in pancreatic islets and protected against the diabetogenic toxin streptozotocin.

Abstract In mice, autoimmune diabetes can be induced with multiple low doses of streptozotocin (MLD-STZ). Specific T cell-dependent immune reactions and non-specific inflammatory damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in the pathogenesis of MLD-STZ diabetes. Metallothionein (MT) can be significantly ( P 4 in pancreatic islets in vivo and in vitro. In vitro, preincubation of isolated islets with ZnSO 4 prevented STZ-induced loss of β -cell-function and in vivo, intraperitoneal pretreatment with ZnSO 4 prevented MLD-STZ-induced diabetes. It is proposed that ZnSO 4 -induced MT rescued β -cells by scavenging STZ-generated hydroxyl-radicals ( ⋅ OH).