title: Expression of cholinergic, insulin, vitamin D receptors and GLUT 3 in the brainstem of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats: effect of treatment with vitamin D₃.
abstract: Complications arising from diabetes mellitus include cognitive deficits, neurophysiological and structural changes in the brain. The current study investigated the expression of cholinergic, insulin, Vitamin D receptor and GLUT 3 in the brainstem of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Radioreceptor binding assays and gene expression were done in the brainstem of male Wistar rats. Our results showed that B(max) of total muscarinic, muscarinic M3 receptors was increased and muscarinic M1 receptor was decreased in diabetic rats compared to control. A significant increase in gene expression of muscarinic M3, α7 nicotinic acetylcholine, insulin, Vitamin D₃ receptors, acetylcholine esterase, choline acetyl transferase and GLUT 3 were observed in the brainstem of diabetic rats. Immunohistochemistry studies of muscarinic M1, M3 and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors confirmed the gene expression at protein level. Vitamin D₃ and insulin treatment reversed diabetes-induced alterations to near control. This study provides an evidence that diabetes can alter the expression of cholinergic, insulin, Vitamin D receptors and GLUT 3 in brainstem. We found that Vitamin D₃ treatment could modulate the Vitamin D receptors and plays a pivotal role in maintaining the glucose transport and expressional level of cholinergic receptors in the brainstem of diabetic rats. Thus, our results suggest a therapeutic role of Vitamin D₃ in managing neurological disorders associated with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology-Cardio Vascular Unit, Department of Biological and Medical Research, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. BOX 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peeyush Kumar
authors.forename: Jes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Sherin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antony
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Paulose
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism*; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051274:Glucose Transporter Type 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D043643:Receptor, Muscarinic M1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D043587:Receptor, Muscarinic M3 / Q000378:metabolism; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; C579165:Chrna7 protein, rat; D051274:Glucose Transporter Type 3; D007328:Insulin; D043643:Receptor, Muscarinic M1; D043587:Receptor, Muscarinic M3; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D011972:Receptor, Insulin