Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic treatment with diets rich in carbohydrates on the IgM and IgG antibody production and the seric glucose concentration in diabetes. Nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice received, ad libitum, by oral route, the diet consisting of an aqueous extract (20 mg/mL) of the following flours: babassu mesocarp, manioc, corn or rice, during 120 days. The diet intake was monitored throughout this period. At the end, the weight variation, blood glucose, serum IgG and IgM antibody and IgM anti-insulin titers, were determined. The babassu and manioc flour extracts altered Purina chow intake and these animals also presented a significant increase in body weight. In contrast, treatment with rice flour resulted in a significant weight loss. Moderate to severe hyperglycemia was observed in the groups receiving rice and manioc, whereas treatment with babassu mesocarp flour and cornmeal resulted in hypoglycemia. The extracts did not alter the IgG concentration. On the other hand, the cornmeal extract caused a marked reduction in both total IgM and anti-insulin IgM antibody production. Although babassu mesocarp flour, cornmeal and manioc flour caused important variations in the parameters studied, only treatment with the rice flour extract anticipated the onset of diabetes in male mice genetically predisposed to the disease.
Highlights
The relationship between the ingestion of diets rich in carbohydrates and autoimmunity in mice has been established based on the demonstration that carbohydrates activate self-reactive B lymphocyte clones which increase the production of specific antibodies against self-antigens [1]
No significant differences in diet intake or total ingested fluid volume were observed between the experimental groups (Table 1), a decrease in water intake was observed in corn, manioc and rice groups
There is an increased intake of mouse food on groups babassu and manioc, but taking into account only the concentration of dietary carbohydrates, one may infer that the animals received a similar glucose supply
Summary
The relationship between the ingestion of diets rich in carbohydrates and autoimmunity in mice has been established based on the demonstration that carbohydrates activate self-reactive B lymphocyte clones which increase the production of specific antibodies against self-antigens [1]. Carbohydrate is one of the main food sources for the population of the State of Maranhão, Brazil, probably because of its easy access and low cost, since most carbohydrates are present in local or typical products of the Brazilian Northeast. These products include rice flour, cornmeal, manioc flour and babassu mesocarp flour. Rice (Oryza sativa) flour mainly consists of carbohydrates (80.4%), followed by protein (6.4%), fibers (1.6%), lipids (0.8%) and minerals [3]-[5]. The dry powder of the mesocarp mainly consists of carbohydrates (80.3%), in addition to protein (1.54%), lipids (0.31%) and fibers (2.41%) [7]
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