title: Expression of Netrin-1 in diabetic rat retina.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect the expression of Netrin-1 in the retinas of diabetic rats and evaluate the relationship between Netrin-1 mRNA and diabetic retinopathy (DR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a diabetic model group (DM) and a normal control group (NC), each group was composed of ten rats. Sreptozocin (STZ) was administered intraperitoneally at a single dose of 60 mg/kg to diabetic group. The control rats were injected only with citrate buffer. Collection of serum at 72 h after STZ treatment and measuring blood glucose levels confirmed the development of diabetes. The rats with blood glucose level 16.67 mmol/L or higher were considered to be diabetic and were used in the experiment. Retinal tissues were harvested and expression of netrin-1 mRNA and protein in the retina tissues was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analysis, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diabetic rats showed classic symptoms of diabetes mellitus, such as polydipsia, polyphagia, and polyuria. Cataract was seen in the DM group at 3 months after administration of STZ. Both netrin-1 mRNA and protein levels retina were dramatically increased in the DM rats compared to the NC group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diabetic rats can be successfully established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). Netrin-1 may play an important role during the development of diabetic retinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
authors.forename: Jiaolian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
authors.forename: Siqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
authors.forename: Huizhuo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000075388:Netrin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*; D013311:Streptozocin; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C000617354:Ntn1 protein, rat; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D000075388:Netrin-1; D013311:Streptozocin