Alpha-lipoic acid modulates the diabetes mellitus-mediated neuropathic pain via inhibition of the TRPV1 channel, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in rats.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic syndrome involving neuropathic pain. Increased oxidative stress in DM is assumed to increase free reactive oxygen radicals (ROS) and causes diabetic damage. The sciatic nerve (ScN) and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) both contain high levels of the TRPV1 channel, which is triggered by capsaicin and ROSs and results in increased Ca2+ entry into the neurons. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is considered an important part of the antioxidant system. To better characterize the protective effects of ALA on the DM-induced neuronal through TRPV1 modulation, we investigated the role of ALA on DM-induced neuropathic pain, oxidative ScN, and DRG damage in diabetic rats. Forty adult Wistar albino female rats were divided into four groups as control, ALA (50 mg/kg for 14 days), streptozotocin (STZ and 45 mg/kg and single dose), and STZ + ALA. Rats were used for the pain tests. After obtaining the DRGs and ScN, they were used for plate reader, patch-clamp, and laser confocal microscope analyses. We observed the modulator role of ALA on the thresholds of mechanical withdrawal pain (von Frey test) and hot sensitivity pain (hot plate test) in the STZ + ALA group. The treatment of ALA decreased STZ-induced increase of TRPV1 current densities, intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations (Fura-2 and Fluo - 3/AM), ROS, caspase 3, caspase 9, mitochondrial membrane potential, and apoptosis values in the ScN and DRG neurons, although its treatment induced the increase of cell viability and body weight gain. The treatment of ALA acted a neuroprotective role on the TRPV1 channel stimulation-mediated Ca2+ influx, neuropathic pain, and neuronal damage in diabetic rats. The neuroprotective role of ALA treatment can be explained by its modulating the TRPV1 channel activity, intracellular Ca2+ increase-induced oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

Zinc is a strong stimulant of metallothionein synthesis in the ischaemic testis tissue.

This study was performed to determine the effect of zinc supplementation effects on metallothionein levels in testis ischaemia-reperfusion of rats. The experimental groups were designed as Control, Sham, Ischaemia-Reperfusion (I/R) and I/R + Zinc supplemented. Zinc supplemented as 5 mg/kg day for 3 weeks. Testis tissues were analysed for metallothionein by immunohistochemical staining procedures. Group comparison showed that the zinc-supplemented ischaemia-reperfusion group had a significantly higher level of cells strongly stained with metallothionein than all other groups. A general evaluation of the results suggests that zinc supplementation is a strong stimulant of metallothionein synthesis in the ischaemic testis tissue.

Effects of zinc supplementation on metallothionein levels in ischemic renal tissue.

We investigated how zinc (Zn) supplementation affects metallothionein levels in the cortex and medulla of ischemic renal tissue of rats. We used adult male rats divided into four groups: group 1, untreated control; group 2, sham-operated; group 3, ischemia-reperfusion; group 4, ischemia-reperfusion + 5 g/kg Zn. Renal tissue was analyzed using immunostaining of rat metallothionein. Cells stained with metallothionein were counted and their percentage was calculated. We found that the Zn supplemented ischemia and reperfusion group exhibited a greater percentage of cells stained strongly for metallothionein in the renal cortex than all other groups. In the renal medulla, percentages of weak staining for metallothionein in the control and ischemia and reperfusion groups were greater than those in the sham and Zn-supplemented ischemia/reperfusion groups. Our findings indicate that the main effect of Zn in the renal tissue occurs in the cortex, while metallothionein synthesis in the renal medulla is unaffected.

Raloxifene and Tamoxifen Reduce PARP Activity, Cytokine and Oxidative Stress Levels in the Brain and Blood of Ovariectomized Rats.

It is well known that 17ß-estradiol (E2) has an antioxidant role on neurological systems in the brain. Raloxifene (RLX) and tamoxifen (TMX) are selective estrogen receptor modulators. An E2 deficiency stimulates mitochondrial functions for promoting apoptosis and increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. However, RLX and TMX may reduce the mitochondrial ROS production via their antioxidant properties in the brain and erythrocytes of ovariectomized (OVX) rats. We aimed to investigate the effects of E2, RLX, and TMX on oxidative stress, apoptosis, and cytokine production in the brain and erythrocytes of OVX rats.Forty female rats were divided into five groups. The first group was used as a control group. The second group was the OVX group. The third, fourth, and fifth groups were OVX + E2, OVX + TMX, and OVX + RLX groups, respectively. E2, TMX, and RLX were given subcutaneously to the OVX + E2 and OVX + TMX, OVX + RLX groups for 14 days after the ovariectomy respectively.While brain and erythrocyte lipid peroxidation levels were high in the OVX group, they were low in the OVX + E2, OVX + RLX, and OVX + TMX groups. OVX + E2, OVX + RLX, and OVX + TMX treatments increased the lowered glutathione peroxidase activity in erythrocytes and the brain and reduced glutathione and vitamin E concentrations in the brain. ß-carotene and vitamin A concentrations in the brain and TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-1ß levels in the plasma of the five groups were not significantly changed by the treatments. However, increased plasma IL-4 levels and Western blot results for brain poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in the OVX groups were decreased by E2, TMX, and RLX treatments, although proapoptotic procaspase 3 and 9 activities were increased by the treatments.In conclusion, we observed that E2, RLX, and TMX administrations were beneficial on oxidative stress, inflammation, and PARP levels in the serum and brain of OVX rats by modulating antioxidant systems, DNA damage, and cytokine production.