An Investigation into the Protective Effects of Melatonin on Pancreatic ?-Cells under Chronic Lipid Loading during the Aging Process

Kasradze D. | Tavartkiladze A. | P. Revazishvili ^[2]

Abstract: Our research aims to investigate the potential protective influence of melatonin on pancreatic ?-cells during chronic lipid loading, a condition that often precipitates the onset of diabetes mellitus in aging populations. The study was conducted on a sample of 140 white male rats, divided into two age groups: adult and late-senescence. For the study, rats from Groups I and II were subjected to a high-lipid diet over a three-month period. In addition to the diet, Group II rats received daily melatonin doses (0.15 mg/kg) throughout the same timeframe. All animals were subsequently euthanized under ether anesthesia after the lipid-loading phase, and again one and two months post-lipid loading, with each phase involving ten rats. Group III, the control group, consisted of undisturbed rats. Tissue samples from the pancreas were processed for electron microscopy, with the ultrastructural study conducted using electronograms. In each experimental stage, we examined 100 pancreatic ?-cells. We analyzed the resulting data using the SPSS-12-ANOVA statistical software. Our findings revealed that chronic lipid loading incites functional activation in pancreatic B-cells, subsequently leading to irreversible damages in the ?-cells of older organisms. This outcome suggests that chronic lipid loading can significantly contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in the later stages of life. However, our study also demonstrated that melatonin could potentially alleviate the severity of B-cell damage under chronic lipid loading. Given melatonin's high B-cell protective activity, we advocate for its co-administration with anti-diabetic drugs, particularly in older individuals.

Keywords: Melatonin, Pancreatic B-cells, Chronic lipid loading, Diabetes mellitus, Aging populations, High-lipid diet, Ultrastructural study on pancreas tissue

Edition: Volume 12 Issue 10, October 2023,

Pages: 1133 - 1137