Figure 2. DC260126 reduces insulin expression in pancreatic β-cells and β-cell mass in db/db mice.

(A) Representative immunostaining for insulin (marked with 3, 3′-diaminobenziding, brown) of 15 islets from eight independent individuals from each group. Scale bar  =  100 µm, and referred to all panels. (B) An obvious increased insulin staining in β-cells was observed in db/db vehicle mice (black bar) compared to lean littermates (white bar), however, 3 weeks treatment of DC260126 (slashed bar) significantly decreased the insulin expression in comparison with db/db vehicle mice. (C) DC260126 reduced the increasing of β-cell mass in db/db mice. (D) DC260126 significantly suppressed the elevated fast blood insulin concentration in db/db mice. Data are mean ± SE and * p<0.05, ** p<0.01, *** p<0.001 compared to lean group, # p<0.05 showed the significant differences between vehicle and DC260126-treated group.