[The initial investigation of the expression of glycosyltransferases in the retina of streptomycin diabetic rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether hyperglycemia affect the expression of glycosyltransferases and Enzyme-catalyzed glycosylation in the retina of diabetic rat.


METHODS
It was an experimental study. RT-PCR was used to analyze the mRNA level of six glycosyltransferases in the retina of streptozocin diabetic rats; Lectin blot assay with RCA-I was performed to investigate the level of Galβ 1→4GlcNAc or N-glycans on total retinal glycoproteins.


RESULTS
mRNA level of six glycosyltransferases in the retina of streptomycin diabetic rats and of normal rat is: O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (0.1650 ± 0.1160 versus 0.1160 ± 0.036); UDP-Gal: betaGlcNAc beta1,3-galactosyltransferase (0.0186 ± 0.0122 versus 0.0152 ± 0.0047); alpha 1,4-galactosyltransferase (0.0040 ± 0.0040 versus 0.0054 ± 0.0022); mannoside acetylglucosaminyltransferase 1 (0.0228 ± 0.0166 versus 0.0187 ± 0.0050); UDP-glucose ceramide glucosyltransferase (0.0129 ± 0.0096 versus 0.0116 ± 0.0040); UDP-Gal: betaGlcNAc beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase 1 (0.0157 ± 0.0010 versus 0.0081 ± 0.0016). The mRNA level of UDP-Gal: betaGlcNAc beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase 1 was up-regulated in the retina of streptomycin diabetic rats (t = 6.847, P = 0.002). Consistent with this, the level of Galβ 1→4GlcNAc of glycoproteins in streptomycin diabetic rat's retina was strengthened compared with that in control rats.


CONCLUSIONS
The results from this study showed that Hyperglycemia could up-regulate the expression of UDP-Gal: betaGlcNAc beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase 1 and strengthen the level of Galβ 1→4GlcNAc of glycoproteins in the retina of streptomycin diabetic rats. Our initial results will contribute to the research for the relation between the Enzyme-catalyzed Glycosylation and the etiopathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.
Department of Ophthalmology, The First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
Kun
K
Liu
Hai-yun
HY
Liu
Wen
W
Ye
Jian-hai
JH
Jiang
Xun
X
Xu
D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000378:metabolism*; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D006031:Glycosylation; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*
D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D016695:Glycosyltransferases