Novel insight into streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats from the protein misfolding perspective

Protein folding is a process of self-assembly defined by the sequence of the amino acids of the protein involved. Additionally, proteins tend to unfold, misfold and aggregate due to both intrinsic and extrinsic causes. Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) aggregation is an early step in diabetes mellitus. However, the aggregation of rat IAPP (rIAPP) remains an open question. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150–250 g were divided into two groups. The experimental group (streptozotocin [STZ]) (n = 21) received an intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 40 mg/kg STZ. We used the mouse anti-IAPP antibody and the anti-amyloid oligomer antibody to study the temporal course of rIAPP oligomerization during STZ-induced diabetes using a wide array of methods, strategies and ideas derived from biochemistry, cell biology, and proteomic medicine. Here, we demonstrated the tendency of rIAPP to aggregate and trigger cooperative processes of self-association or hetero-assembly that lead to the formation of amyloid oligomers (trimers and hexamers). Our results are the first to demonstrate the role of rIAPP amyloid oligomers in the development of STZ-induced diabetes in rats. The IAPP amyloid oligomers are biomarkers of the onset and progression of diabetes and could play a role as therapeutic targets.