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Structural abnormalities do not explain the early functional abnormalities in the peripheral nerves of the streptozotocin diabetic rat

Structural abnormalities do not explain the early functional abnormalities in the peripheral nerves of the streptozotocin diabetic rat
Structural abnormalities do not explain the early functional abnormalities in the peripheral nerves of the streptozotocin diabetic rat
The streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rat, the most commonly employed model of experimental diabetic neuropathy, is characterised by a reduction in nerve conduction velocity, pain threshold and blood flow. Whether or not structural abnormalities underlie these functional abnormalities is unclear. 10 adult male Sprague-Dawley STZ-diabetic rats (diabetes duration 27 d) and 10 age-matched (23 wk) control animals were studied. Motor nerve conduction velocity (m s(-1)) was significantly reduced in diabetic (41.31 +/- 0.8) compared with control (46.15 +/- 1.5) animals (P < 0.001). The concentration of sciatic nerve glucose (P < 0.001), fructose (P < 0.001) and sorbitol (P < 0.001) was elevated, and myoinositol (P < 0.001) was reduced in diabetic compared with control animals. Detailed morphometric studies demonstrated no significant difference in fascicular area, myelinated fibre density, fibre and axon areas as well as unmyelinated fibre density and diameter. Endoneurial capillary density, basement membrane area and endothelial cell profile number did not differ between diabetic and control animals. However, luminal area (P < 0.03) was increased and endothelial cell area (P < 0.08) was decreased in the diabetic rats. We conclude there is no detectable structural basis for the reduction in nerve conduction velocity, pain threshold or blood flow, observed in the streptozotocin diabetic rat.
diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, nerve conduction velocity, morphometry, microangiopathy
0021-8782
419-427
Walker, David
b94e6f46-ec02-4b5b-a726-67c0aafc9f94
Carrington, Anne
b52a8c2b-c7fc-4c77-b6fb-9ad0a5f7adc0
Cannan, Susan A.
2252baf9-1a01-428d-ab88-6c61a39df121
Sawicki, Diane
472dc06b-79b4-4d55-9e7b-7befa03370d8
Sredy, Janet
a3ed7e17-94bf-4b46-8975-25d36027f1f3
Boulton, Andrew J.M.
67c214d5-db6d-4d05-b8ae-31348a9f4637
Malik, Rayaz A.
71dac276-5d84-439d-a380-faa0285feb86
Walker, David
b94e6f46-ec02-4b5b-a726-67c0aafc9f94
Carrington, Anne
b52a8c2b-c7fc-4c77-b6fb-9ad0a5f7adc0
Cannan, Susan A.
2252baf9-1a01-428d-ab88-6c61a39df121
Sawicki, Diane
472dc06b-79b4-4d55-9e7b-7befa03370d8
Sredy, Janet
a3ed7e17-94bf-4b46-8975-25d36027f1f3
Boulton, Andrew J.M.
67c214d5-db6d-4d05-b8ae-31348a9f4637
Malik, Rayaz A.
71dac276-5d84-439d-a380-faa0285feb86

Walker, David, Carrington, Anne, Cannan, Susan A., Sawicki, Diane, Sredy, Janet, Boulton, Andrew J.M. and Malik, Rayaz A. (1999) Structural abnormalities do not explain the early functional abnormalities in the peripheral nerves of the streptozotocin diabetic rat. Journal of Anatomy, 195 (3), 419-427. (doi:10.1046/j.1469-7580.1999.19530419.x). (PMID:10580857)

Record type: Article

Abstract

The streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rat, the most commonly employed model of experimental diabetic neuropathy, is characterised by a reduction in nerve conduction velocity, pain threshold and blood flow. Whether or not structural abnormalities underlie these functional abnormalities is unclear. 10 adult male Sprague-Dawley STZ-diabetic rats (diabetes duration 27 d) and 10 age-matched (23 wk) control animals were studied. Motor nerve conduction velocity (m s(-1)) was significantly reduced in diabetic (41.31 +/- 0.8) compared with control (46.15 +/- 1.5) animals (P < 0.001). The concentration of sciatic nerve glucose (P < 0.001), fructose (P < 0.001) and sorbitol (P < 0.001) was elevated, and myoinositol (P < 0.001) was reduced in diabetic compared with control animals. Detailed morphometric studies demonstrated no significant difference in fascicular area, myelinated fibre density, fibre and axon areas as well as unmyelinated fibre density and diameter. Endoneurial capillary density, basement membrane area and endothelial cell profile number did not differ between diabetic and control animals. However, luminal area (P < 0.03) was increased and endothelial cell area (P < 0.08) was decreased in the diabetic rats. We conclude there is no detectable structural basis for the reduction in nerve conduction velocity, pain threshold or blood flow, observed in the streptozotocin diabetic rat.

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More information

Published date: October 1999
Keywords: diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, nerve conduction velocity, morphometry, microangiopathy
Organisations: Medical Education

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Local EPrints ID: 359184
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/359184
ISSN: 0021-8782
PURE UUID: 3d20fae6-55e0-4f3b-8771-abcbcdd688a8

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Date deposited: 23 Oct 2013 11:28
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 15:18

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Contributors

Author: David Walker
Author: Anne Carrington
Author: Susan A. Cannan
Author: Diane Sawicki
Author: Janet Sredy
Author: Andrew J.M. Boulton
Author: Rayaz A. Malik

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