Prevention of diabetes by thymic hormone in alloxan-treated rats

We investigated the effects of facteur thymique sérique (FTS), a thymic peptide hormone, on alloxan- and streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats. Pretreatment with intravenous injection of FTS significantly suppressed both alloxan- and streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia. The effects of FTS were time dependent. FTS suppressed hyperglycemia in a dose range of 1–6600 μg/kg. Alloxan-induced hyperglycemia was completely prevented when FTS was injected in doses of 40–50 μg/kg 1 min before injection of alloxan. Histological examination of islet areas showed that alloxan-induced destruction of β-cells was inhibited by FTS. FTS had no significant effects on lymphocyte subsets and immunity-related cells or on plasma superoxide dismutase activity and total glutathione level. The blood half-life time of exogenously injected FTS was short (2–3 min), indicating acute internalization of FTS into pancreatic β-cells. Our results suggested that FTS acutely and directly blocks some initial effect of alloxan, preventing the destruction of β-cells.