Fig. 1.

Biochemical parameters of normal, diabetic, and HGM mice and HGM mice supplemented with K9-C-peptide or K8 polypeptide. A Scheme of the generation of diabetic (DM) and insulin-supplemented diabetic (hyperglycemic memory (HGM)) mice and subcutaneous injection of HGM mice with K9-C-peptide (K9-C-pep) or K8 polypeptide (K8). B–D Six weeks after streptozotocin injection, diabetic mice were supplemented with recombinant human insulin using osmotic pumps for 4 weeks. One day after osmotic pumps were implanted, HGM mice were subcutaneously injected in the nape of the neck twice for a total of 4 weeks with K9-C-peptide (HGM + K9-C-pep) or K8 polypeptide (HGM + K8), a negative control for the K9-C-peptide. Body weight (B) and blood glucose levels (C) were monitored weekly (n = 6). D Ten weeks after streptozotocin injection, water intake, food consumption, and plasma levels of human insulin and C-peptide were determined (n = 6). **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 (vs. normal); ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01 (vs. diabetic). NS, non-significant