Reciprocal Changes of Plasma Apo AI and Apo E Levels in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Amounts of plasma lipids, apolipoprotein AI (apo AI) and apolipoprotein E (apo E) were measured in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels of diabetic rats were not significantly different from those of control rats. Plasma apo AI levels of diabetic rats were significantly higher than those of control rats (78.2 +/- 29.3 vs 27.2 +/- 3.4 mg/dl, P less than 0.001), while plasma apo E levels of diabetic rats were significantly lower than those of control rats (4.2 +/- 1.0 vs 13.9 +/- 5.3 mg/dl, P less than 0.001). Insulin treatment (12U/day) of diabetic rats decreased plasma apo AI levels significantly (treated: 32.8 +/- 3.4, untreated: 48.7 +/- 6.2, control: 28.5 +/- 2.4 mg/dl) and normalized plasma apo E levels (treated: 16.1 +/- 1.7, untreated: 5.4 +/- 0.7, control: 15.8 +/- 1.3). Insulin injection (4U/day) to normal rats did not cause any changes in both plasma apo AI and apo E levels. The data indicate that diabetes is not always accompanied by hyperlipidemia, however this inevitably carries apoprotein abnormalities characterized by the high plasma apo AI and low apo E levels, which are reversible with insulin treatment. The changes in the levels of plasma apo AI and apo E could be related to the development of atherosclerosis in diabetes.