Objective:To explore the effect of rosiglitazone on the apoptosis of pancreatic beta cells in rats with experimental type 1 diabetic mellitus.Methods:Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group(Con

n=24) and diabetic control group(DM

n=24) and rosiglitazone group(RSG

n=24).Diabetic rats were induced by streptozotocin(STZ) injected intraperitoneally.Rats with fasting blood glucose(FBG)≥16.7 mmol/L were served as diabetic model.Two-

five-seven-

ten-

and thirteen weeks after RSG treatment

the apoptosis of beta cell was evaluated by Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) assay and the levels of expression for insulin and Fasl were performed by immunohistochemistry.Results:Two weeks after RSG treatment

the levels of expression for insulin in the pancreas islet were higher(P<0.05) and the relative index of apoptosis of beta cells was lower(P<0.05) coupling a downgraded expression of Fasl(P<0.05) in RSG than that in DM.Conclusion:Rosiglitazone can inhibit or down regulating the apoptosis of beta cells to some extent in experimental type 1 diabetic rats

and one of the mechanisms was probably through inhibiting the apoptosis pathway of Fas/Fasl.