Intracellular Lipid Levels and Oxidative Stress in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Experimental Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 1 diabetes mellitus was modeled in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (25 mg/kg for 5 days), which led to the appearance of the main symptoms of insulin-dependent diabetes. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated by centrifugation on a Ficoll density gradient, the production of ROS and the level of intracellular lipids were evaluated by flow cytofluorimetry. In rats with type 1 diabetes mellitus, an increase in ROS levels in isolated peripheral blood monocytes, but not in the lymphocytic fraction was revealed. Incubation of isolated monocytes in a medium containing 1 mM oleic acid led to a 1.5-fold increase of intracellular lipid levels. After incubation of the lymphocyte fraction in this medium, no differences from the control were revealed. Disorders of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in type 1 diabetes mellitus leading to an increase of free fatty acids and ROS levels can be detected ex vivo in isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells.