Date of Defense

Summer 6-24-1993

Department

Biological Sciences

First Advisor

Susan Stapleton, Chemistry

Second Advisor

Leonard Ginsberg, Biological Sciences

Third Advisor

Leonard Beuving, Biological Sciences

Abstract

Treatment of male Sprague-Dawley rats with streptozotocin resulted in a blood glucose level of over 400 mg/dL within one week (> 350 is considered diabetic). Subsequent treatment with the insulin-mimetic agents vanadate and selenate affected how much food the rats consumed as well as their growth rate when compared to controls. Diabetic controls consumed more food and gained weight more quickly than their treated counterparts. Non-diabetic controls (which were not injected with streptozotocin) consumed less food than the diabetic animals but gained more weight. Regulation of G6PDH and FAS at the level of gene expression is well documented, and preliminary studies show that diabetic rats treated with vanadate or selenate exhibit a stimulation in the enzyme activities of (G6PDH) and (FAS) above diabetic control levels. Thus, it seems that both vanadate and selenium have some regulatory influence that is similar to insulin over the enzyme activities of G6PDH and FAS.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Campus Only

Download

Share

COinS