High-Salt Intake Ameliorates Hyperglycemia and Insulin Resistance in WBNKob-Leprfafa Rats: A New Model of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract EN

High-salt intake is a major risk factor for developing hypertension in type 2 diabetes mellitus, but its effects on glucose homeostasis are controversial.

We previously found that high-salt intake induces severe hypertension in WBN/Kob diabetic fatty (WBKDF) rats.

In the present study, we examined the effects of a high-salt intake on glucose homeostasis in WBKDF rats.

Male WBKDF rats and age-matched Wistar rats at 6 weeks of age were each divided into two groups and fed either a normal-sodium (NS, 0.26%) diet or high-sodium (HS, 8%) diet for 7 weeks.

Systolic blood pressure and urine volume were increased in WBKDF-HS and Wistar-HS.

Body weight gain and food consumption were comparable between NS and HS in both strains.

Plasma and urine glucose levels were significantly increased in WBKDF-NS but not in WBKDF-HS.

HOMA-IR in WBKDF-HS was significantly lower compared with that in WBKDF-NS.

The high plasma adiponectin level in WBKDF-NS compared with that in Wistar-NS was further enhanced in WBKDF-HS.

Glycogen deposits and fat droplets in the livers of WBKDF-HS were reduced compared with those of WBKDF-NS.

The present study demonstrated that HS intake ameliorated hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in WBKDF rats, which may be due to increased plasma levels of adiponectin.