Proteomic analysis of pancreata from mini-pigs treated with streptozotocin as a type I diabetes models.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease characterized by extreme insulin deficiency due to an overall reduction in the mass of functional pancreatic beta-cells. Several animal models have been used to study T1DM. Among them, mini-pig seems to be a useful model of diabetes because of its similarities in anatomy and physiology to humans. The purpose of this study is to analyze differentially expressed pancreatic proteins in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced mini-pig T1DM model. The pancreas proteins from mini-pigs treated with STZ were separated by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and eleven protein spots were found to be altered significantly compared with control mini-pigs. The data in this study from proteomic analysis provide a valuable resource for the further understanding of T1DM pathomechanism.