FIG. 5.

Verapamil effects on STZ-induced diabetes and β-cell apoptosis. Male C57BL/6 mice received multiple low-dose STZ injections (40 mg/kg/day) for 5 days and then half the mice received verapamil (V) in their drinking water (100 mg/kg/day). A: Blood glucose (mean ± SEM) in STZ- and STZ + verapamil–treated mice (n = 3 mice per group). B: Verapamil effects on islet TXNIP protein levels in STZ-induced diabetic mice. S, STZ. C: Comparison of pancreas cross-section of STZ- and STZ + verapamil–treated mice (blue = insulin staining). D and E: β-Cell apoptosis as assessed by TUNEL in response to verapamil treatment in STZ-induced diabetic mice. pos, positive. White arrows point at apoptotic nuclei. In total, >2,000 β-cell nuclei were analyzed per group; bars represent means ± SEM. (A high-quality digital representation of this figure is available in the online issue.)