title: Wld(S) protects against peripheral neuropathy and retinopathy in an experimental model of diabetes in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate the effect of the mutant Wld(S) (slow Wallerian degeneration; also known as Wld) gene in experimental diabetes on early experimental peripheral diabetic neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experiments were performed in four groups of mice: wild-type (WT), streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic WT, C57BL/Wld(S) and STZ-induced diabetic C57BL/Wld(S). In each group, intraperitoneal glucose and insulin tolerance tests were performed; blood glucose, glycated haemoglobin and serum insulin were monitored. These mice were also subjected to the following behavioural tests: grasping test, hot-plate test and von Frey aesthesiometer test. For some animals, sciatic-tibial motor nerve conduction velocity, tail sensory nerve conduction velocity and eye pattern electroretinogram were measured. At the end of the experiments, islets were isolated to detect glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, ATP content and extent of apoptosis. The NAD/NADH ratio in islets and retinas was evaluated. Surviving retinal ganglion cells were estimated by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the Wld(S) gene is expressed in islets and protects beta cells against multiple low doses of STZ by increasing the NAD/NADH ratio, maintaining the ATP concentration, and reducing apoptosis. Consistently, significantly higher insulin concentrations, lower blood glucose concentrations, and better glucose tolerance were observed in Wld(S) mice compared with WT mice after STZ treatment. Furthermore, Wld(S) alleviated abnormal sensory responses, nerve conduction, retina dysfunction and reduction of surviving retinal ganglion cells in STZ-induced diabetic models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We provide the first evidence that expression of the Wld(S) gene decreases beta cell destruction and preserves islet function in STZ-induced diabetes, thus revealing a novel protective strategy for diabetic models.
authors: Atherosclerosis Research Centre, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing 210029, People's Republic of China.
authors: S S
authors: SS
authors: Zhu
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Ren
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Zhang
authors: J Q
authors: JQ
authors: Cao
authors: Q
authors: Q
authors: Yang
authors: X Y
authors: XY
authors: Li
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Bai
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Jiang
authors: Q
authors: Q
authors: Jiang
authors: Z G
authors: ZG
authors: He
authors: Q
authors: Q
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004596:Electroretinography; D006720:Homozygote; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C442580:Wld protein, mouse; D013311:Streptozocin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate