Lack of effect of insulin in hepatocytes isolated from streptozotocin-diabetic male rats.

Diabetes mellitus is known to affect drug and steroid metabolism in the rat liver. Recently we have demonstrated that in-vitro insulin addition to hepatocytes obtained from normal male rats showed a significant dose-related increase in androstenedione metabolism. We have extended our study this time by using 3- and 21-days streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic and insulin-treated STZ-diabetic male rats. Hepatocytes from 3- and 21-days STZ-diabetic rats were resistant to the effect of insulin while insulin-treated diabetic rats indicated partial restoration of insulin effect. Since insulin resistance is a characteristic feature of type II diabetes mellitus, we would like to suggest that STZ-diabetic rats may be a model for type II diabetes mellitus.