title: Streptozotocin-induced diabetes decreases substance P levels in experimental arthritis in the rat knee.
abstract: Diabetic patients with sensory neuropathy are predisposed to disorders of the musculoskeletal system. It has been postulated that altered neurogenic inflammation, involving the neuropeptide substance P, may play a part in this phenomenon. We investigated the effect of streptozotocin-induced (STZ) diabetes on the development of an antigenic (mBSA) monoarthritis in the rat with particular reference to changes in substance P levels in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and knee joint synovium. We found that STZ-induced diabetes of 24 weeks duration reduced the substance P content of L4/L5 DRG and knee joint synovial tissue. Induction of mBSA arthritis in diabetic rats resulted in diminished increases in synovial substance P and knee joint swelling compared to non-diabetic arthritic controls. The results show that chronic STZ diabetes reduces neurogenic inflammatory responses in the rat knee which may render the joint more susceptible to arthritic attack.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Queen Mary and Westfield College, London, UK.
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Garrett
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Kidd
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cruwys
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D013373:Substance P