Background: The study of the experiment was to display the therapeutic function of insulin-loaded chitosan (insulin/chitosan) on mesenteric microcirculation via down-regulating cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) expressions in rats with diabetes mellitus (DM) as compared to free insulin.
Methods: Diabetic rats were administrated with 24 U/kg insulin or 120 U/kg insulin/chitosan compounds. The blood and mesenteriums were collected, blood glucose levels, arteriole velocity, arteriole diameter, venular diameter, and hemodiapedesis were measured, and COX-2, VCAM-1 expressions were measured in mesenteriums tissues.
Results: Both insulin and insulin/chitosan administration decreased blood glucose and improved the state of mesenteric microcirculation through down-regulating COX-2 and VCAM-1 expressions as compared to DM groups, while insulin/chitosan remarkably augmented this functions.
Conclusion: Chitosan-microcapsulated insulin alleviates mesenteric microcirculation dysfunction via modulating COX-2 and VCAM-1 expressions in rats with DM.
Keywords: insulin, chitosan, COX-2, VCAM-1