Streptozotocin diabetes in rats after acclimation to cold environment.

To investigate the effects of acclimation to a cold environment on the alteration of glucose and fat metabolism in diabetes, the levels of blood glucose, triacylglycerol, nonesterified fatty acid, and immunoreactive insulin were measured before and on the 3rd and 14th days after streptozotocin treatment in cold-acclimated (4 degrees C) and warm-acclimated (24 degrees C; control) rats. The cold-acclimated rats showed no hyperglycemia on the 14th day after streptozotocin treatment, whereas the control diabetic rats maintained high blood glucose levels. Triacylglycerol levels did not increase in the cold-acclimated diabetic rats, whereas the control diabetic rats showed markedly high triacylglycerol levels. Immunoreactive insulin levels remained constantly low in both cold-acclimated and control diabetic rats. It was concluded that acclimation to cold changed some of the metabolic consequences of diabetes caused by streptozotocin in rats.