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1-adrenoceptor antagonist on diabetes-induced changes in peripheral nerve function, metabolism, and antioxidative defense
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0354, USA
1Correspondence: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1150 West Medical Center Dr., MSRB II, Rm. 5570, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0354, USA. E-mail: iobrosso{at}umich.edu
| ABSTRACT |
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1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin on NBF,
MNC, as well as metabolic imbalances and oxidative stress in the neural
tissue. Control and diabetic rats were treated with or without prazosin
(5 mg·kg-1·d-1 for 3 wk). NBF was
measured by hydrogen clearance. Both endoneurial vascular
conductance and MNC velocity were decreased in diabetic rats vs.
controls, and this decrease was prevented by prazosin. Free
NAD+:NADH ratios in mitochondrial cristae, matrix, and
cytosol assessed by metabolite indicator method, as well as
phosphocreatine levels and phosphocreatine/creatine ratios, were
decreased in diabetic rats, and this reduction was ameliorated by
prazosin. Neither diabetes-induced accumulation of two major glycation
agents, glucose and fructose, as well as sorbitol and total
malondialdehyde plus 4-hydroxyalkenals nor depletion of
myo-inositol, GSH, and taurine or decrease in
(Na/K)-ATP-ase activity were affected by prazosin. In conclusion,
decreased NBF, but not metabolic imbalances or oxidative stress in the
neural tissue, is a key mechanism of MNC slowing in short-term
diabetes. Further experiments are needed to estimate whether
preservation of NBF is sufficient for prevention of nerve dysfunction
and morphological abnormalities in long-standing diabetes or whether
the aforementioned metabolic imbalances closely associated with
impaired neurotropism are of greater importance in advanced than in
early diabetic neuropathy.Obrosova, I. G., Van Huysen, C.,
Fathallah, L., Cao, X., Stevens, M. J., Greene, D. A.
Evaluation of
1-adrenoceptor antagonist on
diabetes-induced changes in peripheral nerve function, metabolism, and
antioxidative defense.
Key Words: motor nerve conduction peripheral diabetic neuropathy nerve blood flow prazosin
| INTRODUCTION |
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Vasodilators represent a valuable tool for addressing this controversy.
The purpose of the present study was to assess the role of NBF vs.
other factors in motor (M) NC slowing in short-term diabetes by
evaluating the vasodilator,
1-adrenoceptor
antagonist prazosin, on diabetes-induced neurovascular dysfunction,
motor nerve conduction (MNC), as well as metabolic imbalances and
oxidative stress in the neural tissue.
| MATERIALS AND METHODS |
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Animals
Male Sprague-Dawley rats (Harlan Sprague-Dawley, Indianapolis,
Ind.), body weight 250300 g, were fed a standard rat chow diet (ICN
Biomedical, Cleveland, Ohio) and had access to water ad
libitum. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal (i.p.)
injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg body weight) to animals fasted
overnight. Blood samples for measurements of glucose were taken from
the tail vein 48 h after the streptozotocin injection and the day
before the animals were killed. The rats with blood glucose of 13.8 mM
or more were considered diabetic. The experimental groups
comprised control and diabetic rats treated with or without
1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (5 mg ·
kg body weight-1 · day
-1 in the drinking water). The treatment of
diabetic rats was started ~48 h after streptozotocin injection; the
duration of the experiment was 3 wk.
Reagents
Unless otherwise stated, all chemicals were of reagent grade
quality and purchased from Sigma Chemical (St. Louis, Mo.). Methanol
(HPLC grade), perchloric acid, hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide
were purchased from Fisher Scientific (Pittsburgh, Pa.). Ethyl alcohol
(200 proof dehydrated alcohol, U.S.P. punctilious) was purchased from
Quantum Chemical Co. (Tiscola, Ill.). Dihydroxyacetone phosphate
dilithium salt monohydrate was purchased from Fluka BioChemika (Buchs,
Switzerland). ß-D-Glucose, sorbitol, N.F., myo-inositol,
C.P., and D-fructose, U.S.P. were purchased from Pfanstiehl
Laboratories, Inc. (Waukegan, Ill.). Kits for malondialdehyde and
4-hydroxyalkenals assay were purchased from Oxis International
(Portland, Oreg.).
Experimental procedure
Our pilot experiments revealed that urethane anesthesia distorts
the profile of peripheral nerve metabolites whereas rat sedation by a
short (~1520 s) exposure to carbon dioxide with immediate cervical
dislocation preserves reduced metabolite and high-energy phosphate
levels in the range of those obtained after decapitation without any
narcosis (37)
. For this reason, two different sets of
animals were used for functional and metabolic studies. In the first
set, the rats were anesthetized by urethane (11.2 g/kg, i.p.). Motor
nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) measurements were made before the
assessment of NBF on the contralateral nerve. In all measurements, body
temperature was monitored by a rectal probe and maintained at 37°C
with a warming pad. Hind limb skin temperature was also monitored by a
thermistor and maintained between 36 and 38°C by radiant heat. In the
second set, the rats were sedated by CO2 in a
specially designed chamber (37)
and immediately killed by
cervical dislocation. The femoral segments of the left sciatic nerve
from each rat were rapidly (~30 s) dissected, carefully blotted with
fine filter paper to remove any accompanying blood, and frozen in
liquid nitrogen for subsequent measurements of ß-hydroxybutyrate,
acetoacetate, glutamate,
-ketoglutarate, ammonia, phosphocreatine,
creatine, and ATP. The remaining part of the left and the right nerve
were used for measurements of total malondialdehyde plus
4-hydroxyalkenals, GSH, sorbitol pathway intermediates,
myo-inositol, taurine, and (Na/K)-ATP-ase activity. The
group of prazosin-treated control rats was set up to estimate whether
metabolic effects of prazosin, when present, were specific for diabetic
rats. Biochemical measurements in this group were confined to the
parameters that responded to prazosin treatment in the diabetic group.
Functional studies
Sciatic endoneurial nutritive NBF
NBF was assessed by microelectrode polarography and hydrogen
clearance (38)
. The left carotid artery was cannulated
with polyethylene tubing and patency was maintained with heparinized
saline (50 U/ml normal saline). The catheter was connected to a
transducer and the blood pressure monitored by a MacLab data
acquisition system. A tracheostomy was performed and the animal
artificially respired with O2:N2 (20%:80%)
using a small animal ventilator (Harvard Apparatus, South Natick,
Mass.). The right sciatic nerve was exposed and gently dissected away
from the surrounding tissue. The skin around the incision was
positioned to create a reservoir. A ground electrode was inserted
subcutaneously into the flank of the rat. Using a micromanipulator,
H2-sensitive platinum electrode (tip diameter 0.2 µm;
World Precision Instruments, Sarasota, Fla.) was inserted into the
nerve above the trifurcation. Mineral oil at 37°C was used to fill
the reservoir and prevent diffusion of gases out of the nerve. The
nerve was polarized with 0.25 V; when a stable baseline was achieved,
the animal received a gas mixture containing 10% H2 that
was continued until the current change stabilized (1030 min), when
H2 flow was terminated. Current recordings were made every
30 s until baseline levels were achieved (3060 min). After the
experiment, mono- or biexponential clearance curves were fitted to the
data (Graphpad Software, La Jolla, Calif.). Nutritive NBF was taken as
the slow component of the curve. An average of two determinations at
different sites was used to determine nutritive NBF.
Sciatic MNCV
The left sciatic nerve was stimulated proximally at the sciatic
notch and distally at the ankle via bipolar electrodes with
supramaximal stimuli (8 V) at 20 Hz. The latencies of the compound
muscle action potentials were recorded via bipolar electrodes from the
first interosseous muscle of the hind paw and measured from the
stimulus artifact to the onset of the negative M-wave deflection. MNCV
was calculated by subtracting the distal latency from the proximal
latency; the result was divided into the distance between the
stimulating and recording electrode.
Metabolic studies
Preparation of perchloric extract
Femoral segments (~20 mg) of the left nerve as well as
segments (~20 mg) of a remaining part of the left nerve or the right
nerve were weighed, homogenized in 1.5 ml of ice-cold 6%
HCIO4, and centrifuged at 4000 g for
10 min. After centrifugation, the samples were immediately neutralized
with 5 M K2CO3 to pH 67
and centrifuged again at 4000 g for 5 min to precipitate
insoluble KCIO4.
Measurements of glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid cycle
intermediates, ketone bodies, glutamate, ammonia, phosphocreatine,
creatine, and ATP
The steady-state concentrations of glucose, acetoacetate,
ß-hydroxybutyrate, glutamate,
-ketoglutarate, ammonia, pyruvate,
lactate, phosphocreatine, creatine, and ATP were assayed in perchloric
extracts of femoral segments of the left sciatic nerve
spectrofluorometrically (Perkin-Elmer LS-5B, Norwalk, Conn.) by
enzymatic procedures as described by Lowry and Passonneau
(39)
. The lower limit for all spectrofluorometric
procedures in our study including sorbitol, fructose,
myo-inositol, and GSH was 0.1 x
10-9 M.
GSH measurements
We modified the method of Hissin and Hilf (40)
and
mixed 0.1 ml of neutralized nerve perchloric extract with 0.89 ml of
0.02 M EDTA in 1.0 M tris-HCI buffer, pH 8.1. The reaction was
initiated by addition of 0.01 ml of O-phthaldialdehyde (10 mg-1 ml
methanol). Initial and final readings were taken at
excitation: 345
nm,
emission: 425 nm, slits: 5 and 5. The differences in initial
and final readings were compared with those in corresponding GSH
standards (110x10-9 M) processed in the same
run.
Measurements of sorbitol pathway intermediates, myo-inositol, and
total MDA plus 4-hydroxyalkenals
Nerve segments (~40 mg) were weighed and homogenized in 1 ml
0.1 M Na-phosphate buffer, pH 6.5. A 100 µl volume of 0.3 M zinc
sulfate, followed by an equivalent of barium hydroxide, was then added
to 0.4 ml of the homogenate for protein precipitation. The samples were
centrifuged at 4000 g for 10 min and 100 µl aliquots of
the supernatant were taken for spectrofluorometric measurements of
sorbitol, fructose, and myo-inositol by enzymatic procedures
as described previously (41
, 42)
. The rest of the
homogenate was centrifuged at 3000 g for 5 min. Aliquots
(200 µl) of the supernatant were used for measurements of
malondialdehyde (MDA) and total malondialdehyde plus 4-hydroxyalkenals
(4-HA) using kits LPO-586 from Oxis International (Portland, Oreg.).
The method is based on the reaction of a chromogenic reagent,
N-methyl-2-phenylindole, with MDA or MDA and 4-HA after their
differential extraction under hydrochloric or methanesulfonic acidic
conditions at 45°C (43)
. The absorbance of chromogenic
product was measured at 586 nm using a spectrophotometer Beckman DU 640
(Fullerton, Calif.) and was compared with the absorbance in
corresponding standards.
Taurine measurements
Nerve segments (~10 mg) were homogenized in 1 ml of 6%
trichloroacetic acid and centrifuged at 4000 g for 10 min.
Taurine was measured by reverse-phase high-performance liquid
chromatography (Waters, Milford, Mass.) after precolumn derivatization
with O-phthaldialdehyde (41
, 42
, 44)
. Glutamine, added
after ion exchange chromatography, was used as the internal standard.
Measurements of (Na/K)-ATP-ase activity
Nerve segments (~10 mg) were homogenized on ice in 2 ml of 0.2
M sucrose plus 0.02 M Tris-HCl pH 7.5 by three 10 s bursts with a
Polytron model PT 1035 (Brinkman Instruments, Westbury, N.Y.).
Aliquots of homogenate were assayed enzymatically for total and
ouabain-insensitive ATPase activity as described (45)
.
Ouabain-sensitive Na/K-ATPase activity is defined as the difference in
activity before and after the addition of ouabain and is expressed as
µmol ADP formed/g wet weight per hour.
Calculations of free mitochondrial and cytosolic
NAD+:NADH ratios
According to classical publications of Krebs laboratory
(46
, 47)
and other studies (48)
, direct
measurements of NAD, NADH, NADP, and NADPH do not provide information
on compartmentalization of nicotinamide adenine nucleotides between
cytosol and mitochondria and do not separate free from protein-bound
forms (only free forms determine direction and free-energy changes of
dehydrogenase reactions). The same studies proposed an alternative
approach for assessment of free NAD(P)+:NAD(P)H
ratios in the cytoplasm and mitochondria from ratios of the
concentrations of oxidized and reduced metabolites of suitable
NAD(P)-linked dehydrogenase systems. Using this approach, free
NAD+:NADH ratios for mitochondrial cristae,
matrix, and cytoplasm were calculated from the steady-state metabolite
concentrations and the equilibrium constants of ß-hydroxybutyrate,
glutamate, and lactate dehydrogenase systems as described (46
, 48)
:
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Statistical analysis
The results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation.
Data were subjected to equality of variance F test and then to log
transformation, if necessary, before one-way analysis of variance.
Where overall significance (P<0.05) was attained,
individual between group comparisons were made using the
Student-Newman-Keuls multiple range test. Significance was defined at
P
0.05. When between-group variance differences could not
be normalized by log transformation (data sets for body weights, plasma
glucose, and some metabolic parameters), the data were analyzed by the
nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance, followed by
the Fishers PLSD test for multiple comparisons.
| RESULTS |
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Blood glucose concentrations were increased by 540% in diabetic rats compared with those in control rats. Prazosin treatment had no effect on blood glucose concentrations in either control or diabetic rats.
Sciatic NBF, mean systemic blood pressure (BP), and endoneurial
vascular conductance were 52%, 11.5%, and 40% lower in diabetic rats
compared with those in control rats (P<0.01 for NBF and VC
and < 0.05 for BP, Fig. 1
). Prazosin treatment of diabetic rats further decreased BP
(P<0.05 vs. the untreated diabetic group and < 0.01
vs. controls). For this reason, prazosins effect on NBF was modest (a
36% increase vs. the untreated diabetic group, P<0.05 vs.
untreated diabetic and < 0.01 vs. control groups) although a
decrease in VC, i.e., NBF:BP ratio, was completely prevented
(P<0.01 vs. the untreated diabetic group).
|
Sciatic MNCV was decreased by 26% in diabetic rats compared with
controls (P<0.01, Fig. 2
). MNCV was 27% higher in the prazosin-treated diabetic group compared
with the untreated diabetic group (P<0.01). No
statistically significant difference was found between MNCVs in
prazosin-treated diabetic group and nondiabetic controls.
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Concentrations of acetoacetate, ß-hydroxybutyrate, glutamate,
-ketoglutarate, ammonia, lactate, and pyruvate were similar in the
sciatic nerves of control rats treated with and without prazosin
(Table 2
). Concentrations of acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate were increased
3.4- and 20-fold in diabetic rats compared with those in control rats.
Whereas acetoacetate concentration was further increased by prazosin
treatment (by 55% vs. the untreated diabetic group),
ß-hydroxybutyrate concentration was 38% lower in prazosin-treated
diabetic rats compared with the untreated diabetic group. Glutamate
concentration was increased by 26% by diabetes, and this increase was
prevented by prazosin treatment. Ammonia concentrations were similar in
diabetic rats treated with or without prazosin.
-Ketoglutarate
concentrations were similar in control and diabetic rats and were
increased by 27% in prazosin-treated diabetic rats vs. the untreated
diabetic group. Pyruvate concentration was increased by 23% in
diabetic rats vs. controls and this increase was not prevented by
prazosin treatment. Lactate concentration was increased by 58% in
diabetic rats compared with controls and tended to decrease with
prazosin treatment, although the difference with the untreated diabetic
group did not achieve statistical significance.
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Free NAD+:NADH ratios in nerve mitochondrial
cristae and matrix (Fig. 3A
) as well as cytosol (Fig. 3B
) were similar in
control rats treated with or without prazosin. The three ratios were
decreased by 77%, 32%, and 27% in diabetic rats compared with those
in control rats (P<0.01 for all three ratios).
Diabetes-induced NAD-redox changes in mitochondrial cristae were
partially prevented by prazosin treatment. Free
NAD+:NADH ratio in prazosin-treated diabetic
group was 150% higher than in the untreated diabetic group
(P<0.01) and 44% lower than in nondiabetic controls
(P<0.01). A diabetes-induced decrease in free
NAD+:NADH ratios in mitochondrial matrix and
cytosol was prevented by prazosin treatment (P<0.01
and < 0.05 vs. the untreated diabetic group). Free
NAD+:NADH ratios in either mitochondrial matrix
or cytosol were not different between diabetic rats treated with
prazosin and nondiabetic controls.
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Nerve ATP concentrations were similar in control and diabetic groups
treated with and without prazosin (Table 3
). PCr concentrations and PCr:Cr ratios were not different in control
rats treated with or without prazosin. PCr concentrations and PCr:Cr
ratios were reduced in diabetic rats (by 13% and 22.5% vs. control
group), and the decrease in both parameters was prevented by prazosin
treatment. Cr concentrations were not different among control and
diabetic rats treated with and without prazosin.
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Nerve glucose, sorbitol, and fructose concentrations were 852%, 456%,
and 175% higher in diabetic rats compared with those in control rats
(Table 4
); none of these parameters were affected by prazosin treatment.
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Nerve myo-inositol and taurine concentrations (Fig. 4A
) were reduced by 24% and 39% in diabetic rats vs.
controls (P<0.05 and < 0.01, respectively), and
depletion of either osmolyte was not prevented by prazosin treatment.
(Na/K)-ATP-ase activity (Fig. 4B
) was 34% lower in diabetic
rats compared with the control group (P<0.01); this
decrease was not affected by prazosin treatment.
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Nerve GSH concentration (Fig. 5A
) was decreased by 29% in diabetic rats vs. controls
(P<0.01), and this decrease was not prevented by prazosin
treatment. Nerve MDA concentrations were similar in control, diabetic
untreated, and prazosin-treated diabetic rats (Fig. 5B
).
Nerve MDA plus 4-HA concentration was increased by 40% in diabetic
rats vs. controls (P<0.05); this increase was not prevented
by prazosin treatment.
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| DISCUSSION |
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1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin is
consistent with previous studies by Camerons group with prazosin
(55)
1-adrenoceptor
antagonist, doxazosin (13)
A decrease in free NAD+:NADH ratios in nerve
mitochondrial cristae and matrix in diabetes as well as partial
(cristae) or complete (matrix) prevention of the NAD-redox imbalances
by the vasodilator therapy is indicative of diabetes-induced
endoneurial hypoxia. The effect of prazosin on both ratios is specific
for diabetic animals and therefore is not due to some unidentified
intrinsic properties of the compound, not related to its vasodilator
activity. The findings of decreased free mitochondrial
NAD+:NADH ratios in the diabetic peripheral nerve
are consistent with a diabetes-induced decrease in NBF and peripheral
nerve oxygen tensions (10
, 56
, 57)
. Furthermore, the
assessment of free mitochondrial NAD+:NADH ratios
in our study has been performed in femoral segments of the sciatic
nerve sampled within 30 s after euthanasia, i.e., without
prolonged surgical exposure of the nerve. Thus, our results argue
against the premise that the findings of decreased NBF and oxygenation
in the diabetic nerve is an artifact of nerve surgical exposure during
NBF measurements by hydrogen clearance or laser Doppler procedures
(21)
, and confirm that the diabetic peripheral nerve is
truly hypoxic. The findings of a 77% decrease in free
NAD+:NADH ratio in the mitochondrial cristae of
the diabetic nerve vs. ~4050% decrease of nerve oxygen tensions in
other reports (10
, 56
, 57)
, as well as of incomplete
prevention of the NAD-redox changes despite preservation of normal VC
in prazosin-treated diabetic rats, indicate that, in addition to
decreased NBF/endoneurial hypoxia, other factors affect mitochondrial
oxidative capacity of the diabetic nerve. These may include osmotic
stress with resulting disturbances in Ca2+
homeostasis and oxidative stress leading to inhibition of respiratory
chain enzymes, e.g., cytochrome C oxidase (58)
. The role
for these nonvascular mechanisms affecting mitochondrial oxidative
capacity in diabetes-induced nerve conduction slowing is minor as MNCV
deficit was prevented by prazosin treatment. Despite a decrease of
nerve mitochondrial oxidative capacity to about half that of normal, a
free NAD+:NADH ratio in mitochondrial matrix of
prazosin-treated diabetic rats was preserved in the range of
nondiabetic animals. This ratio controls the activity of tricarboxylic
acid cycle, the major source of energy in aerobic tissues. Therefore,
it is not surprising that PCr levels as well as the PCr/Cr ratio, the
most sensitive parameter of the peripheral nerve energy state
(59
, 60)
in the diabetic rats treated with prazosin, are
in the range of those in controls. The responsiveness of nerve PCr
concentration to vasodilator treatment in our experiments is consistent
with reports (61
, 62)
of the sensitivity of this parameter
to changes in perfusion/oxygenation. Two aforementioned studies
(61
, 62)
as well as our findings suggest that of a variety
of metabolic parameters, nerve energy state correlates best with MNC.
Decrease in free cytosolic NAD+:NADH ratio in the
diabetic nerve is also prevented by the vasodilator treatment despite
the absence of any effect of prazosin on the sorbitol pathway
intermediates. Therefore, our findings do not support the concept of
diabetic pseudohypoxia, suggesting that diabetes-induced cytosolic
NAD-redox imbalances are due to increased oxidation of sorbitol to
fructose, coupled to reduction of NAD to NADH, by sorbitol
dehydrogenase (SDH) (63)
. The conclusion of the
independence of the shift toward a more reduced state of free cytosolic
NAD-couple from increased SDH activity is supported by another study
from our laboratory (37)
. We have found that an SDH
inhibitor (SDI) at a dose resulting in 91% inhibition of the increased
flux through SDH failed to prevent either cytosolic or mitochondrial
NAD-redox imbalances in the diabetic nerve. Taking into consideration,
that mitochondrial and cytosolic pools of nicotinamide adenine
dinucleotides are linked through dicarboxylate carriers and that the
peripheral nerve strongly depends on oxidative (aerobic) metabolism
(64)
, it is reasonable to suggest that diabetes-associated
cytosolic NAD-redox imbalances have a mitochondrial origin, i.e.,
reflect a metabolic response of the cytoplasm to endoneurial hypoxia
developing due to decreased NBF.
Although advanced glycation end-products accumulate in the peripheral
nerve at a later stage of PDN (65)
, the Amadori products
recently implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications
(66)
form in early diabetes. The fact that the vasodilator
treatment prevented MNCV deficit without affecting the concentrations
of two most abundant glycation agents, glucose and fructose
(67)
, suggests that nonenzymatic glycation of neural
tissue macromolecules is not implicated in MNC slowing in short-term
diabetes. This assumption is consistent with the absence of increased
levels of methylglyoxal, the
-dicarbonyl compound that reacts with
proteins with formation of imidazolium cross-linking AGEs
(68)
in the sciatic nerve at the early stage of PDN
(69)
. There are no reports of the presence of another
potent glycation agent, 3-deoxyglucosone (70
, 71)
, in the
neural tissues. Furthermore, this reactive dicarbonyl is formed by
nonenzymatic degradation of glucose-derived Amadori products
(70
71
72)
and, in some tissues (73)
, by
nonenzymatic decomposition of sorbitol pathway-originated fructose
3-phosphate. Therefore, it is inconceivable that 3-deoxyglucosone
levels, if present, are modulated by the agent (prazosin) that does not
affect either glucose or fructose levels in the diabetic nerve. The
blockade of a preventive effect of aminoguanidine on diabetes-induced
nerve conduction slowing by cotreatment with the nitric oxide synthase
inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine (16)
is consistent with the
important role of AGE in vasa nervorum, but not neural
tissue, in NCV deficit in early diabetes.
In a similar fashion, prevention of diabetes-induced MNCV deficit
despite the absence of any effect of prazosin on nerve sorbitol levels
implies that sorbitol accumulation is not a major culprit in the early
phase of PDN. This conclusion is consistent with observations of
others. In particular, Cameron et al. (11)
did not find
any MNC and sensory NC slowing in nondiabetic rats treated with a SDI
that increased nerve sorbitol accumulation to the level found in the
diabetic rats. Ng et al. (74)
reported similar MNCV
deficits in the diabetic mice with normal SDH levels and SDH-deficient
diabetic mice with 8.9-fold higher nerve sorbitol concentration. Song
et al. (75)
found no difference in MNCV deficits between
diabetic mice, overexpressing aldose reductase in Schwann cells, and
nontransgenic diabetic mice. However, despite these and our findings,
one should keep in mind that nerve sorbitol accumulation could be of
much greater importance in advanced PDN. Dyck et al. (76)
have reported that nerve sorbitol content in the diabetic patients is
inversely related to the number of myelinated fibers. Of particular
interest is the study by Schmidt et al. (77)
, who found a
dramatic increase in ileal mesenteric nerve axonal dystrophy with SDH
inhibition by the dose of SDI not affecting NBF in the diabetic model
of lesser duration (11)
. Long-term experiments with a SDI
are needed to estimate whether similar axonopathy will develop in the
peripheral nerve in response to persistent excessive nerve sorbitol
accumulation.
The role for myo-inositol depletion in diabetes-induced NC
deficit remains controversial. Two groups (78
79
80)
have
reported amelioration of MNCV deficit in the diabetic rats fed 1%
myo-inositol diet or receiving 500 mg/kg per day of
myo-inositol in the drinking water, whereas others did not
find any effect of dietary myo-inositol supplementation on
either neurovascular dysfunction or nerve conduction deficits in the
intervention study with a ~2.5-fold higher dose of
myo-inositol (81)
. It is unclear whether
different observations regarding efficacy of myo-inositol on
diabetes-induced NC slowing are due to the difference in dose and
whether 2.5% myo-inositol supplementation (81)
is associated with adverse side effects, preventing preservation of
MNCV and not characteristic of the 1% diet. In addition, clinical
studies have revealed the absence of myo-inositol depletion
in the diabetic patients (76
, 82
, 83)
. Sundkvist et al.
(83)
, but not Dyck et al. (76)
, found an
association between nerve myo-inositol depletion and the
presence of PDN. The present study, demonstrating that MNCV deficit is
prevented by prazosin despite the absence of any effect of the
vasodilator on nerve myo-inositol and taurine
concentrations, indicates that preservation the two osmolytes in the
neural tissue is not essential for prevention of NC slowing in
short-term diabetes. Taking into consideration that taurine prevents
diabetes-induced changes in NBF (84)
and that
Na+/taurine cotransporter is localized in
vasa nervorum (85)
, it is reasonable to suggest
that the preventive effect of taurine on MNC and sensory NC in diabetes
(84)
is of vascular origin. The latter would be consistent
with vasodilator properties of taurine (86)
and its
inhibitory effect on protein kinase C (87)
.
Despite the lack of prevention of diabetes-induced decrease in
(Na/K)-ATP-ase activity, preservation of MNCV by prazosin treatment
indicates that down-regulation of (Na/K)-ATP-ase is not implicated in
early MNCV deficit in diabetes. This conclusion is supported by other
studies demonstrating the absence of any up-regulation of this enzyme
by vasodilators that effectively prevent MNC slowing (55)
or, conversely, an up-regulation of (Na/K)-ATP-ase without any
improvement of MNCV by NGF (M. J. Stevens, unpublished results) or
DL-
-lipoic acid (88)
. The role for (Na/K)-ATP-ase in
advanced PDN remains unclear.
One of the most interesting findings of the present study is an
apparent dissociation between accumulation of lipid peroxidation
products in the neural tissue and early MNCV deficit in diabetes
despite reports of prevention (1
, 2
, 36)
and reversal
(57)
of diabetes-induced changes in NC by different
antioxidants and metal chelators. These observations and our findings
demonstrating that prazosin preserves MNCV without preventing
diabetes-induced lipid peroxidation in the neural tissue lead to the
conclusion that effects of antioxidants and metal chelators on NC in
short-term diabetes are mediated through vascular mechanisms.
Preservation of GSH and prevention of lipid peroxidation in nerve
vasculature is probably more important in short-term diabetes than
preservation of nerve GSH concentration and arrest of lipid
peroxidation in the neural tissue (1
, 89
, 90)
. This
conclusion is consistent with report of Cameron and Cotter
(91)
indicating that the beneficial effect of the free
radical scavenger BM 15.0639 on diabetes-related NCV deficit is largely
abolished by cotreatment with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. However,
it is important to remember that oxidative stress is implicated in
impaired neurotropism (36)
and mitochondrial dysfunction
(92)
, associated with Schwann cell injury (93
, 94)
, and is a powerful activator of three subfamilies of
mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), i.e., stress-activated
protein kinase/c-Jun-terminal kinases, the extracellularly responsive
kinases and p38-MAPK (95
96
97)
, glucose transducers for
diabetic complications (98)
, and particularly axonopathy
(99)
. Both Schwann cell injury and axonopathy, developing
gradually and becoming manifested in long-standing diabetes, exacerbate
nerve functional deficits acquired in the initial phase of PDR. Thus,
oxidative stress, acting through both vascular and nonvascular
mechanisms, contributes to both onset and progression of PDR. In
addition, oxidative injury affects neurotransmission (100)
contributing to diabetes-induced endothelial dysfunction
(101)
.
In conclusion, a decrease in NBF with resulting endoneurial hypoxia is a key mechanism of MNC slowing in the early phase of PDN. The question regarding the importance of vascular vs. nonvascular mechanisms in advanced PDN remains open. Long-term experiments with vasodilators are needed to establish whether preservation of NBF is sufficient for prevention of functional and morphological abnormalities in the peripheral nerve in long-standing diabetes. On the other hand, chronic experiments with coadministration of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and one of the following agents, i.e., aldose reductase inhibitors, myo-inositol, taurine, antioxidants, IGF or NGF, or SDI administration, can clarify the role for metabolic imbalances and enhanced oxidative stress in the neural tissue as well as impaired neurotrophic support in advanced PDN.
| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
|---|
Received for publication August 31, 1999.
Revision received February 7, 2000.
| REFERENCES |
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-lipoic acid on peripheral nerve conduction, blood flow, energy metabolism, and oxidative stress in experimental diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes In press
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