Modulation of regeneration/growth factors expression in pancreatic exocrine and endocrine tissue of NOD (non-obese diabetic) mice treated with gangliosides

In the present study we evaluate the properties of GM1 and GGs (21% GM1, 40% GD1a 16% GD1b, 19%GT1b) in NOD (non-obese diabetic) mice and BALB/c as a control lineage. Animals of both lineages were treated with GM1, GGs or saline from 4th to the 28th weeks of life. The ganglioside-treated NOD mice demonstrated a decrease in insulitis compared with saline-treated mice: 70% of saline control animals, 38% of GM1 group and 0% of GGs group. GLP-1 gene expression was increased in GM1-treated BALB/c and in GGs-treated NOD groups in comparison to the saline groups. Insulin gene expression was increased only in the GM1-treated NOD group. Serum insulin levels were increased in ganglioside-treated BALB/c and NOD groups. In the islets, the cell co-labeling of Insulin/GLP1 and somatostatin/GLP1 was increased in NOD and BALB/c gangliosides-treated mice compared to saline-treated mice. PDX-1 and Ngn3 protein expression were increased in pancreatic islets and exocrine tissues of GGs treated NOD mice in comparison to the saline treated group. Results suggest that gangliosides have modulatory properties, decreasing the insulitis score, maintaining of insulin levels, increasing GLP-1 protein expression in ? and ? pancreatic cells and retarding diabetes onset in NOD mice. Similarly to observation in neural tissue, the gangliosides studied could contribute to islets survival. We hypothesize that ganglioside play a role stimulating growth factor expression GLP-1, PDX-1 and Ngn3 in the cells from acinar tissue and islets cells (AU)