Characterization of Peripheral Neuropathy in Rat Model of Type 2 Diabetes

ABSTRACT

Diabetic neuropathy, a microvascular complication associated with diabetes, is one of the most common forms of neuropathy. Current rodent models of type 2 diabetes are mostly transgenic which fail to mimic human type 2 diabetes and its secondary complications, including peripheral neuropathy. Our aim is to develop a non-transgenic animal model of type 2 diabetic neuropathy which closely mimics the human disease. Methods: High-fat diet (HFD; normal pellet diet + lard) and a dual dose of streptozotocin (25mg/kg) were used to induce diabetes in Sprague-Dawley rats. Developments of neuropathy in these animals were measured using behavioral parameters like tail flick latency, pain threshold using randall selitto, and gait test. Nerve conduction velocity and histopathological evaluation of sciatic nerve were also carried out. Paclitaxel treated animals served as neuropathy controls. Results: The animals developed diabetes (blood glucose >250 mg/ dl; HbA1c 11.77 ±0.14%). All the classical symptoms of painful neuropathy, reduction in tail flick latency (p<0.05), reduced vocalization threshold in randall selitto (p<0.01), gait test showing a highly negative sciatic functional index (p<0.01) and reduced nerve conduction velocity (p<0.01) were evident in HFD-STZ animals. The above response was comparable to paclitaxel-treated neuropathy controls. Histopathological evaluation of sciatic nerves showed indications of sciatic nerve damage in HFD-STZ and paclitaxeltreated animals. The above neuropathic conditions were successfully reversed upon glibenclamide treatment (10 mg/kg) in HFD-STZ treated diabetic animals. Conclusion: Hence we successfully developed a cost-efficient non-transgenic model of diabetic neuropathy which closely mimics the characteristics of the human form of the disease.

KEYWORDS

• Animal model
• Diabetes
• Neuropathy
• Glibenclamide
• Rat

Showing references and in-text citations exactly as published.

• DOI10.5530/ijper.51.1.13Copy

RELATED ARTICLES

Matched on section and article type within this issue of IJPER.

• Article · VOLUME 51, ISSUE 1Using Vincent van Gogh’s Illnesses to Revise Medicinal ChemistryYicheng Mei, Baowei Yang · pp. 9–13Original ArticleSame type: Article
• Article · VOLUME 51, ISSUE 1Effect of integrating research skills with basic sciences in an interdisciplinary integrated endocrine module on students’ satisfaction and performanceZeinabAlrefaie ZeinabAlrefaie, BasemEldeek BasemEldeek, NasraAyuob NasraAyuob · pp. 14–19Original ArticleSame type: Article
• Article · VOLUME 51, ISSUE 1Diversity of Pharmacy Faculty Members between UK and USWeixiang Zhang, Yitao Wang, Defang Ouyang · pp. 20–24Original ArticleSame type: Article
• Article · VOLUME 51, ISSUE 1Identification of Potential Inhibitors against the Human Influenza A Virus Targeting the CPSF30 and RNA Binding Domains of the NS1 Protein: An E-Pharmacophore approach.Ishwar Chandra, Abhisek Kumar Behera, Sarah Sabu Cherian · pp. 25–33Original ArticleSame type: Article