Insulin and vanadium protect against osteoarthritis development secondary to diabetes mellitus in rats

AbstractObjective: Diabetic complications such as cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis (OA) are among the common public health problems. The effect of insulin on OA secondary to diabetes has not been investigated before in animal models. Therefore, we sought to determine whether insulin and the insulin-mimicking agent, vanadium can protect from developing OA in diabetic rats. Methods: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) was induced in Sprague–Dawley rats and treated with insulin and/or vanadium. Tissues harvested from the articular cartilage of the knee joint were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and blood samples were assayed for oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers. Results: Eight weeks following the induction of diabetes, a profound damage to the knee joint compared to the control non-diabetic group was observed. Treatment of diabetic rats with insulin and/or vanadium differentially protected from diabetes-induced cartilage damage and deteriorated fibrils of collagen fibers. The relat...