title: Asymmetric dimethylarginine reduced erythrocyte deformability in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: To investigate the effect of asymmetric dimethylarginine on erythrocyte deformability in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg/kg) in male Sprague-Dawley rats was carried out to induce diabetes and normal erythrocytes were incubated with asymmetric dimethylarginine or aortic rings from diabetic rats in the presence of L-arginine or vitamin E. We found that erythrocyte deformability was significantly decreased in diabetic rats. The levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine in plasma and erythrocytes of diabetic rats were elevated significantly from 2-week diabetic duration to 8-week diabetic duration. Nitric oxide in erythrocytes was decreased at 8-week diabetic duration while plasma nitric oxide remained unchanged all along. The content of malondialdehyde in erythrocytes of diabetic rats was increased. After incubation of erythrocytes with asymmetric dimethylarginine (10(-6) M) for 30 min, erythrocyte deformability and nitric oxide level in erythrocytes were decreased markedly. Reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde production in erythrocytes were promoted by asymmetric dimethylarginine. Both L-arginine and vitamin E reversed the effects of asymmetric dimethylarginine. After incubation of erythrocytes with aortic rings from diabetic rats, erythrocyte deformability was decreased, which was attenuated by L-arginine. These results indicated that reduction of erythrocyte deformability in diabetic rats was associated with promoted oxidant stress as well as impaired nitric oxide synthesis by elevation of asymmetric dimethylarginine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Xiang-Ya Road #110, Changsha 410078, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Chun
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Su-Jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Han-Wu
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Yuan-Jian
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000503:physiopathology; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014810:Vitamin E; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine