Can diabetes be prevented? 'Diabetes can be prevented and the incidence of

diabetes substatially reduced by neonatal stimulation of pancreatic {3 cells in BB rats.'

Neonatal beta cells are immature and unresponsive to glucose. Glucose exposure appears to encourage maturation of beta cells and to protect from the development of diabetes -children born to diabetic mothers (exposed to hyperglycaemia in utero) have a lower incidence of diabetes than children with diabetic fathers.

When neonatal BB rats were treated with intraperitoneal glucose (n = 38), glucose + arginine (15) and glucose + glucagon (26) for the first 6 days of life, the incidence of diabetes was 42, 20 and 23%, respectively over a 200-day study period, whereas untreated controls had an incidence of diabetes of 65%.

The authors suggested that as glucose, glucagon and arginine are not toxic, 'such treatment could therefore have implications for prevention of diabetes, especially in children of fathers who have type I diabetes.' Buschard K. J0rgensen M, Aaen K, Bock T, Josefsen K. Prevention of diabetes mellitus in rats by neonatal stimulation of {3 cells. Lancet 335: 134-135, 20 Jan 1990 " "

0156-2701/ 90/ 0117-0015/ 0$01.00/ 0 © ADIS Press 15

INPHARMA® 27 Jan 1990