ABSTRACT
Background Optic neuropathy is one of the diabetic eye complications.Rosiglitazone,a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ(PPARγ) agonist,plays a very important role in arresting the pathogenesis and development of diabetes.However,the role of PPARγ in diabetic optic neuropathy is unclear.Objective This study was to investigate the protective effect of rosiglitazone against diabetic optic neuropathy and its mechanism.Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the control group,diabetic group and rosiglitazone group,with 10 rats for each group.Diabetic models were induced by injecting 50 mg/kg of streptozotocin via the caudal vein,and rosiglitazone(5 ng/[kg· d])was used in the rats of the rosiglitazone group by intragastric administration every day for four weeks.At the end of the experiment,the fasting blood sugar(FBS) was tested in all the animals.The level of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in the blood plasma was detected by ELISA.Optical neural tissues were obtained from the rats of each group,and Lauck fast Blue myelin stain was used to examine the morphology of the optical myelin.The expression of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) mRNA and protein in the optic nerve was detected by real time PCR and Western blot,respectively.Results The levels of FBS,blood plasma VEGF,NCAM mRNA and protein in the optic nerve were significantly different among the control group,diabetic model group and the rosiglitazone group after the administration of 5 nmg/(kg · d) rosiglitazone for 4 weeks (F =6.12,P＜0.01 ; F =5.14,P＜0.05 ; F =4.75,P＜0.05 ; F =4.87,P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,the level of FBS significantly increased in the diabetic model group(t =2.26,P＜O.05),and that in the rosiglitazone group significantly declined in comparison with the diabetic model group(t=2.08,P＜0.05).The optic nerve exhibited a normal morphology in the control group as revealed by the Lauck fast Blue myelin staining;however,severe demyelination of the optic nerve and proliferation of glial cells were found in the diabetic model group,and mild demyelination of the optic nerve and proliferation of glial cells were seen in the rosiglitazone group.Blood plasma VEGF was(28.76±4.21)ng/L in the control group and(134.28±11.36)ng/L in the diabetic model group,showing a significant difference between them (t=2.36,P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the model group,the blood plasma VEGF was significantly lower in the rosiglitazone group ([42.67 ± 5.83] ng/L) than that in the diabetic model group (t =2.17,P＜ 0.05).Expression of NCAM mRNA and protein in the optic nerve significantly decreased in the diabetic model group compared with the control group(t =2.21,t =2.58,both at P＜0.05);while those in the rosiglitazone group were significantly elevated in comparison with the diabetic model group(t =2.19,t =2.67,both at P＜O.05).Conclusions Rosiglitazone can protect optic nerve from damage in diabetic rats mainly by downregulating blood plasma VEGF level and upregulating NCAM expression.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study changes in the physical growth of preschool children aged 3 to 6 yeas in urban areas of Lanzhou from 2001 to 2010.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Stratified, randomized, cluster sampling was used to collect physical examination data on children from 35 private and public kindergartens located in different urban areas of Lanzhou in 2001, 2006, and 2010. Changes in physical growth were analyzed using body height, body weight and body mass index (BMI) as main indices. Growth retardation, underweight, overweight, emaciation and obesity were screened out using height for age (HAZ), weight for age (WAZ), and weight for height (WHZ) and changes from 2001 to 2010 were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Body height, body weight and BMI increased from 2001 to 2010 in children at different ages (P<0.05). Body height and weight increased with age, while BMI decreased with age. Mean values of HAZ, WAZ, and WHZ increased over time, showing that prevalence rates of underweight, growth retardation, and emaciation decreased from 2001 to 2010 while those of overweight and obesity increased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Changes in the physical growth of preschool children in urban areas of Lanzhou from 2001 to 2010 were obvious, with increases in body height and body weight. However, problems such as overweight and obesity emerged. In response, while malnutrition is being solved, attention should be paid to over-nutrition that has an adverse effect on physical growth.</p>