Vitamin A increases nerve growth factor and retinoic acid receptor beta and improves diabetic neuropathy in rats.
All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) promotes the endogenous expression of both nerve growth factor (NGF) and retinoic acid receptor beta (RAR-β). We have previously shown that the administration of ATRA partly reverts the damage induced by diabetic neuropathy (DN). In this investigation, we evaluated the effects of vitamin A, a commercial, inexpensive compound of retinoic acid, on the therapy of DN. A total of 70 rats were randomized into 4 groups. Group A was the control, and groups B, C, and D received a total dose of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin intraperitoneally. When signs of DN developed, groups C and D were treated either with vitamin A (20,000 IU) or with ATRA 25 mg/kg for 60 days. Plasma glucose, contents of NGF, thermal and nociceptive tests, and RAR-β expression were evaluated. All diabetic rats developed neuropathy. The treatment with vitamin A and ATRA reverted similarly the sensorial disturbances, which was associated with increased contents of NGF and RAR-β expression. Our results indicate that the administration of vitamin A has the same therapeutic effect as ATRA on peripheral neuropathy and suggest its potential therapeutic use in patients with diabetes.
Neuroimmunology Unit, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía (INNN), Mexico City, Mexico.
Norma
N
Hernández-Pedro
Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) Sede Sur, Mexico City, Mexico.
Vinicio
V
Granados-Soto
Neuroimmunology Unit, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía (INNN), Mexico City, Mexico.
Graciela
G
Ordoñez
Neuroimmunology Unit, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía (INNN), Mexico City, Mexico.
Benjamin
B
Pineda
Excitatory Amino Acids Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía (INNN), Mexico City, Mexico.
Edgar
E
Rangel-López
Neuroimmunology Unit, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía (INNN), Mexico City, Mexico.
Aleli
A
Salazar-Ramiro
Department of Medical Oncology and Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia (INCAN), Mexico City, Mexico.
Oscar
O
Arrieta
Neuroimmunology Unit, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía (INNN), Mexico City, Mexico. Electronic address: jsotelo@unam.mx.
Julio
J
Sotelo
D000818:Animals; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; C082925:retinoic acid receptor beta; D014801:Vitamin A; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor