Protection by dimethyl urea against hyperglycaemia, but not insulitis, in low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in the mouse.

The protective effect of dimethyl urea, a hydroxyl radical scavenger, against low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes has been evaluated. Dimethyl urea was given to C57BL/KsJ mice before five daily injections of streptozotocin. The saline pre-treated control animals became gradually hyperglycaemic, whereas the dimethyl urea treated group remained normoglycaemic during the 11 week follow-up period. Two weeks after the first streptozotocin injection, six out of ten dimethyl urea-treated and 12 out of 15 saline-treated mice had insulitis. Four or 11 weeks after the streptozotocin treatment, insulitis was rare in both groups. Multiple injections of dimethyl urea only did not affect the serum glucose concentrations or the islet morphology. It is suggested that dimethyl urea protected against hyperglycaemia by reducing the beta-cell cytotoxic effects of the low doses of streptozotocin. An increased number of cells would thus be preserved and the animals less prone to develop diabetes, despite the presence of an inflammatory process in the pancreatic gland.