Læknablaðið : fylgirit - 01.06.1982, Side 34

21
PLENARY LECTURE
CURED MEAT AND MURINE DIABETES. T.Helgason, Diabetic
Clinic, University Hospital, Reykjavík, S.W.E. Ewen*
Department of Pathology, I.S. Ross, Department of
Chemical Pathology,xUniversity of Aberdeen, J.M.
Stowers, Diabetic Clinic, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
CDl mice(Charles River)have a low rate of spontan-
Sous diabetes mellitus and were thus selected forthis
study. Evidence for diabetes mellitus was establis-
hed after ascertaining normal blood glucose levels
when the mice were fed a normal laboratory diet.
Two types of investigation were made on attempts
to reproduce diabetes in CDl mice and their progeny.
In the first more general experiment these mice were
fed Icelandic smoked/cured mutton and a normal labor-
atory diet ad libitum on alternate days with free
access to water. This regime was started before mat-
ing, continued during pregnancy and maintained for
the progeny from the time of weaning and until testec
between 4-8 wk. About 15% bf the prógeny ware fourid
to be diabetic by our criteria-
In the second more specific experiment, efforts
were made to imitate the exposure to cured meat
suggested as an explanation for'the increase in the
number of Icelandic diabetic boys born in one month
of the year. Individual male or female mice were fed
the cured meat continuously for lo days before fert-
ilization and in a third group both male and female
mice had the cured meat diet.No further cured meat
was fed during pregnancy or to the weanlings which
were checked by random blood glucose measurements or
glucose tolerance tests. Preliminary results indicate
that the influence is transmitted by the mother and
is maximal in male progeny at 5-6 weeks of age.
Results of ongoing experiments with unsmoked cured
mutton will be discussed and histological changes
demonstrated.