title: Prevention and reversal of motor and sensory peripheral nerve conduction abnormalities in streptozotocin-diabetic rats by the prostacyclin analogue iloprost.
abstract: The effects of the prostacyclin analogue iloprost on nerve function were examined in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Rats were treated either with iloprost from induction of diabetes over 2 months in a preventive experiment, or for 1 month following a 1 month untreated period of diabetes in a reversal experiment. One and 2 months untreated diabetic control, non-diabetic control, and iloprost-treated non-diabetic groups were also used. Diabetes of 1 month duration caused a 21% (P < 0.001) reduction in sciatic motor conduction velocity and a 14% (P < 0.001) deficit in saphenous sensory conduction. This was not significantly changed over a subsequent month without treatment. Diabetic rats given iloprost treatment in both preventive and reversal studies had motor and sensory conduction velocities not significantly different from those of non-diabetic controls, but greater than for untreated diabetes (P < 0.01). Iloprost treatment did not have a significant effect on nerve conduction in non-diabetic rats. The time taken for sciatic nerve compound action potential amplitude to be reduced by 80% under hypoxic conditions in vitro was progressively elevated by 19% and 57% after 1 and 2 months diabetes respectively. Iloprost treatment significantly attenuated this for both preventive (47%, P < 0.001) and reversal (50%, P < 0.001) studies. There was no effect on hypoxic resistance for non-diabetic rats. In the preventive group there was a 28% increase in sciatic nerve endoneurial capillary density (P < 0.001), a lesser effect (16%, P < 0.05) in the reversal group, and no effect in non-diabetic rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Marischal College, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Dines
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Cameron
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016285:Iloprost / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D013311:Streptozocin; D016285:Iloprost