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Insulin and Chromium Treatment of Atherogenesis in Rabbits
Author(s) -
Fouchi Dana R.,
Beard Elizabeth Letitia
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.6.a854-d
Twelve New Zealand strain, 2 Kgm, male rabbits were maintained on an atherogenic diet (2% cholesterol, 6% corn oil and 98% Purina Chow) and were divided into Group I: :injected IP with 20 ugm of Cr ( Chromium Potassium Sulphate ), Group II:injected subcutaneously with 2 units of INS (Protamine Zinc Insulin), Group III :injected with Cr and INS and the Control Group(CG): injected with 0.1ml Saline. These dosages were doubled in the second 5 weeks of the study. The rabbits were fasted for 18 hours prior to injection. Each week, blood was drawn from two animals of each group five hours post injection. Plasminogen Activator Activity (PAA) increased (16.3%+/−2.6) in the plasma of the rabbits treated with Cr compared to the CG. Injections of INS with/without. Cr did not alter plasma PAA compared to the CG. Cr treated rabbits had reduced PAA retention in blood platelets (−14.8%+/−2.3) compared to the CG but INS and INS/Cr treated rabbits showed increased retention of PAA (8.9%+/− 2.5). Platelets from Cr treated rabbits had the same glucose uptake as those from control animals in the presence of exogenous insulin. Platelets from INS injected rabbits and INS/Cr animals showed greater sensitivity to exogenous insulin with increased glucose concentrations (26.1%, 3.3+/−.) compared to the CG. Plasma glucose levels dropped (9.4%+/−2.3) in the INS/Cr group compared to CG plasma levels. INS treatment resulted in increased plasma cholesterol (38.4%+/− 3.6) and phospholipid levels (26.7%+/− 3.3) compared to CG values in the second five weeks. On autopsy, the aortae of the Cr rabbits had reduced fatty plaque in comparison to the CG and INS treated, atherogenic dieted rabbits.