Effects of Micronutrients on Oxidative Stress and Islet Function in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Rats: Relationships to Th2 Type Cytokines, Interleukin-4, and Interluekin-10

To observe the effects of the micronutrients on oxidative and autoimmune destruction of islets so as to prevent a person from the onset and development of type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), the interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 expressions of lymphocytes in peripheral blood and spleen of T1DM rats were determined by flow cytometry. GSH-Px activity and MDA level in the rats' pancreas were measured using biochemical methods. The insulin contents in serum and β cell insulin secret storage were tested by RIA and IHC, respectively. There was an increase in the percentages of IL-4 and IL-10 positive lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and spleen of the groups of rats supplemented with various combinations of micronutrients (p <0.01 and p <0.05, respectively); the blood glucose concentration decreased (p <0.05); both the functional β cell in islets and the insulin content in pancreatic tissue increased (p <0.05 and p <0.01); the GSH-Px activity and MDA level of pancreas in the rats enhanced and decreased respectively (p <0.01 and p <0.05). The results suggest that micronutrients may alleviate the islet lesions by upregulating the expressions of IL-4 and IL-10 and lowering oxidative stress in diabetic rats.