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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #180162
Title: ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE BIOMIMETIC [CR3O(O2CCH2CH3)6(H20)3}+ INCREASES INSULIN SENSITIVITY AND IMPROVES BLOOD PLASMA VARIABLES IN HEALTHY AND TYPE 2 DIABETIC RATS

Author
item CLODFELDER, BUFFIE - UNIV OF ALABAMA, TUSCALOO
item GULLICK, BRYAN - UNIV OF ALABAMA, TUSCALOO
item Lukaski, Henry
item NEGGERS, YASMIN - UNIV OF ALABAMA, TUSCALOO
item VINCENT, JOHN - UNIV OF ALABAMA, TUSCALOO

Submitted to: Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/30/2004
Publication Date: 12/30/2004
Citation: Clodfelder, B.J., Gullick, B.M., Lukaski, H.C., Neggers, Y., Vincent, J.B. 2005. Oral administration of the biomimetic [Cr3O(O2CCH2CH3)6(H2O)3]+ increases insulin sensitivity and improves blood plasma variables in healthy and type 2 diabetic rats. Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry. 10:119-130.

Interpretive Summary: The mineral element chromium, which is thought to be essential for mammals, is biologically active in the facilitation of insulin action. Knowledge of the chemical form of chromium that exerts this activity is unknown. One form of chromium that may be useful contains propionic acid. We evaluated the effects of increasing amounts of chromium estimated to deliver up to 1000 micrograms of chromium per kilogram body weight of rats for 24 weeks. Two unique models of type 2 diabetes were used, an early (Zucker obese rat) and late (Zucker diabetic fatty rat) model. In both models, chromium significantly decreased serum insulin and glucose concentrations after a standardized glucose challenge after 12 and 22-24 weeks of treatment compared to untreated rats. These findings reveal that the chromium compound containing propionic acid delivers chromium to tissues and beneficially influences insulin and glucose metabolism of rats with a predisposition to developing diabetes. This information will be useful to scientists who seek to identify a novel function of chromium and thus establish its essentiality.

Technical Abstract: The in vivo effects of gavage administration of the synthetic, functional biomimetic cation [Cr3O(O2CCH2CH3)6(H2O)3]+ to healthy and type 2 diabetic model rats are described. After 24 weeks of treament (0-1,000 ug Cr/kg body mass) of healthy Sprague Dawley rats, the cation results in a lowering (P<0.05) of fasting blood plasma low-density lipoprotein (LD) cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin levels and of 2-h plasma insulin and glucose concentrations after a glucose challenge. Zucker obese rats (a model of the early stages of type 2 diabetes) and Zucker diabetic fatty rats (a model for type 2 diabetes) after a supplementation (1,000 ug Cr/kg) have lower fasting plasma total, high-density lipoprotein, and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glycated hemoglobin, and insulin levels and lower 2-h plasma insulin levels in glucose tolerance tests. The lowering of plasma insulin concentrations with little effect on glucose concentrations suggests that the supplement increases insulin sensitivity. The cation after 12 and 22 or 24 weeks of administration lowers (P<0.05) fasting plasma glycated hemoglobin levels in the Zucker diabetic and Zucker obese rats, respectively, adn thus can improve the glucose status of the diabetic models. The effects cannot be attributed to the propionate ligand.