L-arginine enriched diet protects bb/ok rats from developing type 1 diabetes

L-arginine is the source of all forms of nitric oxide (NO), which can be an extremely relevant factor in the treatment and reversal of important diseases. This observation prompted us to use L-arginine in BB/OK (Bio Breeding/Ottawa Karlsburg) rats developing insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes to evaluate the effect of L-arginine on the prevention of this disease. BB/OK rats were given L-arginine in drinking water (2%) during pregnancy and to the progeny (group 1), to newborn (group 2) and not given (group 3) up to an age of 30 weeks. Diabetes frequency and age at onset of diabetes were recorded in all BB/ OK rats. The mRNA expression of genes (Nfkb2, Il10, Il1b, Rarres 2, Pparg, Adipoq, Lep and Slc2a4) was measured in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue in BB/OK rats which did not develop diabetes up to an age of 30 weeks. Diabetes frequency was reduced in the L-arginine supplemented BB/OK compared to the untreated BB/OK rats (group 1: p<0.001 and group 2: p<0.05 vs. control group 3). Group 2 showed gender specific differences, because more females than males developed diabetes (94/59%; p<0.05). Gene expression in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue was reduced in the L-arginine drinking BB/OK rats compared to the control group. L-arginine in drinking water can protect from type 1 diabetes development in a sex specific manner. Because L-arginine is a precursor of NO, it may be concluded that this manipulation normalized NO activity in s cells, partially preventing type 1 diabetes development.