The role of low dose nicotine on the profile of blood glucose and insulin, and alteration of pancreas and liver tissues of obese cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis)

Abstract

Study of low dose nicotine intervention and its effect on blood and cellular level of obese cynomolgus monkeys has never been reported. The aims of this study were to evaluate the role of low dose nicotine on the profile of blood glucose, insulin level and cellular level alteration of pancreatic and hepatic tissue of obese cynomolgus monkey. Fourteen adult (aged 6–8 years) males cynomolgus monkeys grouped based on their Body Mass Index (BMI) into preobese (BMI=23.65–25.00) and obese (BMI ≥ 26.00) were used. Animals were grouped into four groups subsequently preobese with nicotine (pOb+), obese with nicotine (Ob+), preobese without nicotine (pOb-) and obese without nicotine (Ob-). Nicotine groups were fed with high fat diet mixed with nicotine dose 0.75 mg/kg body weight/day for three months and other groups without nicotine were fed monkey chow as control. Blood samples were collected every month for glucose analysis and insulin analysis at the end of study before necropsy was performed. Pancreatic and hepatic tissues were processed histologically and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemical method. The results showed that blood glucose significantly decreased (P<0.05) on the nicotine group, 28.37% (preobes) and 33.72% (obes) based on treatment duration compared to control group. Based on color intensity of granules cytoplasm of insulin producing cells or immunoreactive β-cells showed that non nicotine group were more reactive than those with nicotine group. As a conclusion, there was positive effect of low dose nicotine in maintaining the blood glucose level in normal range by stimulation of islet cells proliferation to maintain the production of insulin in the pancreatic islet. Nicotine low dose also affect to the hepatic parenchymal tissue that showed moderate level of hydrophic and fat degeneration, and necrosis. However, there were found hepatic cell regeneration.