Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 21, 2026
11:10
Hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic Clamps in Conscious, Unrestrained Mice
Published on: November 16, 2011
97.5K
Arsenic induces diabetic effects through beta-cell dysfunction and increased gluconeogenesis in mice
Su Liu1, Xuechao Guo1, Bing Wu1
1State key laboratory of Pollution control and resource reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, P.R. China.
Scientific Reports
|November 5, 2014
Summary
Inorganic arsenic (iAs) exposure can impair pancreatic beta-cell function and worsen glucose tolerance in diabetic mice. However, iAs may also improve insulin sensitivity, suggesting complex diabetogenic effects distinct from traditional risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Diseases
Background:
- Arsenic's role as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes is under investigation.
- The precise mechanisms by which arsenic influences diabetes development remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of inorganic arsenic (iAs) on normal and diabetic mice using systems toxicology.
- To elucidate the distinct impacts of iAs on glucose metabolism, pancreatic function, and insulin sensitivity.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of iAs exposure in normal and diabetic mouse models.
- Assessment of glucose tolerance, pancreatic beta-cell function, gluconeogenesis, and oxidative stress.
- Evaluation of insulin sensitivity using insulin tolerance testing and gene expression analysis.
Main Results:
- iAs exposure impaired pancreatic beta-cell function and increased gluconeogenesis and oxidative damage in normal mice.
- In diabetic mice, iAs worsened glucose tolerance, potentially via increased gluconeogenesis and beta-cell dysfunction.
- iAs exposure enhanced insulin sensitivity in both normal and diabetic mice by activating glucose uptake pathways.
Conclusions:
- iAs exposure can induce pre-diabetic effects in normal individuals by altering lipid metabolism, gluconeogenesis, and insulin secretion.
- In diabetic individuals, iAs exacerbates diabetic conditions through similar mechanisms.
- The diabetogenic effects of iAs appear to differ from those of traditional risk factors like obesity, as insulin resistance may not be the primary driver.
