title: Tissue specific expression and immunohistochemical localization of glutathione S-transferase in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats: modulation by Momordica charantia (karela) extract.
abstract: In streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes, destruction of pancreatic beta-cell causes an acute shortage of insulin. Increased oxidative stress is believed to be one of the main factors in the etiology and complications of diabetes. In this study we have reported hyperglycemia and glutathione-associated oxidative stress in rats one week after treatment with STZ. In our previous studies, we have reported oxidative stress-related changes in xenobiotic metabolism in tissues from STZ-induced chronic diabetic rats. Here, we demonstrate by immunohistochemistry, that glutathione S-transferase (GST) isoenzymes are differentially expressed in the liver, kidney and testis of diabetic rats. The distribution of GST isoenzymes was found to be tissue- and regio-specific. In addition, we have also shown that treatment with an extract of Momordica charantia (karela), an antidiabetic herb, modulates GST expression in diabetic rats and reverts them to the normal distribution as seen in the tissues of control rats. These results suggest that glutathione metabolism and GST distribution in the tissues of diabetic rats may play an important role in the etiology, pathology and prevention of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, P.O. Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. h.raza@uaeu.ac.ae
authors.forename: Haider
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Raza
authors.forename: Ijaz
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: John
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D029777:Momordica charantia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007527:Isoenzymes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione