title: Neurodegeneration in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats is attenuated by treatment with resveratrol.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Diabetes mellitus-associated hyperglycemia and oxidative stress have been shown to have detrimental effects on the brain and may lead to impairment of cognitive functions. Resveratrol (Rsv), a polyphenolic antioxidant, has been shown to have moderate hypoglycemic and prominent hypolipidemic effects in diabetic rats. In the present study, we examined if Rsv improves the diabetic encephalopathy and explored its possible underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male SD rats were treated with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg), and the diabetic rats were orally fed with Rsv (0.75 mg/kg, every 8 h) or normal saline for 4 weeks. Animals were then sacrificed and the brain tissues (hippocampus) processed for biochemical and histological studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neurodegeneration and astrocytic activation were noted in the hippocampus of the diabetic rats. Tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6 transcripts and nuclear factor-κB expression were increased in the brain. In addition, neuropathic alterations in the hippocampus were evident in diabetic rats, including increased blood vessel permeability and VEGF expression, decreased mitochondrial number and AMP-activated protein kinase activity. In Rsv-treated diabetic rats, the aforementioned abnormalities were all attenuated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations suggest that Rsv significantly attenuated neurodegeneration and astrocytic activation in the hippocampus of diabetic rats. Our results suggested that Rsv could potentially be a new therapeutic agent for diabetic encephalopathy and neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan (ROC).
authors.forename: Yu-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.forename: Kuan-Hsing
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Pei-Ching
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Chia-Chi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Pao
authors.forename: Jan-Kan
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000077185:Resveratrol; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D013267:Stilbenes; D013311:Streptozocin; D000077185:Resveratrol