title: Decrease in catechol-O-methyltransferase activity in the liver of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: 1. The present study compared the activity of catechol- O-methyltransferase (COMT) in the liver and plasma of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats with that in normal rats. The activity of COMT was estimated by the metabolism of noradrenaline to metanephrine (MN), both measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. 2. Formation of MN was decreased in the liver of STZ- diabetic rats compared with normal rats. The amount of MN was also decreased in plasma obtained from STZ-diabetic rats. A Michaelis-Menten plot showed a reduction in the maximum velocity and an increase in the Km for COMT in liver samples from STZ-diabetic rats. 3. The role of hyperglycaemia in the lowering of COMT activity was then investigated using phlorizin or insulin at doses sufficient to normalize plasma glucose from STZ-diabetic rats. Both insulin and phlorizin treatment of STZ-diabetic rats for 4 days restored the activity of COMT to that seen in normal rats. Thus, correction of hyperglycaemia in STZ-diabetic rats can reverse the decrease in COMT activity. The activity of COMT is lower in STZ-diabetic rats than in normal rats mainly due to the higher plasma glucose.
authors: Department of Orthopedics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: Wang
authors: I M
authors: IM
authors: Liu
authors: T F
authors: TF
authors: Tzeng
authors: J T
authors: JT
authors: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008676:Metanephrine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D010695:Phlorhizin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008676:Metanephrine; D013311:Streptozocin; D010695:Phlorhizin; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase