Streptozotocin-induced diabetes in the Chinese hamster. Biochemical and endocrine disorders

Streptozotocin treatment (125 mg/kg) in the Chinese hamster induced hyperglycaemia, hypoinsulinaemia, hyperglucagonaemia and changes in body, liver, pancreas, stomach, kidney and adipose tissue weights. The pancreatic reserves of insulin and glucagon in the diabetic animals were low, but stomach glucagon high. These animals showed high levels of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and low levels of glucokinase, hexokinase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme, but normal levels of pyruvate kinase in the liver. Increases in lactate dehydrogenase subunit B and isozymes 2, 3 and 4 were also observed in the liver, but not in the epididymal fat pad, of the diabetic animals. N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was elevated in plasma, liver and heart, but not in the kidney of the treated animals. Renal alpha-galactosidase and beta-glucosidase were depressed, whereas beta-galactosidase and alpha-glucosidase remained essentially normal. These features indicated that there were considerable differences between the biochemical disorders associated with streptozotocin-diabetes in the Chinese hamster and the published observations in the rat.