title: Ameliorative effects of aminoguanidine on rat aorta in Streptozotocin-induced diabetes and evaluation of α-SMA expression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Diabetes mellitus is one of the chronic metabolic diseases which is characterized by microvascular and macrovascular complications. This study was designed to investigate the improving the effects of amnioguanidine on aortic damage in a streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats divided into four groups as follows: Control, Aminoguanidine, Diabetes, and Diabetes+Aminoguanidine. Experimental diabetes was induced by single dose STZ (45 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. After administration of STZ, the DM+AMG group began to receive AMG (1 g/L) was prepared by dissolving in tap water during 10 weeks. At the end of the study, blood glucose levels were determined and rats were sacrified by ketamine anesthesia. Following routine tissue process, aortas were embedded in paraffin. Histochemical (H-E and Orcein) and immunohistochemical α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) stains were applied and the sections examined by light microscope. Statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS 13.0 statistical program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rats in diabetes group had significantly higher blood glucose levels than the rats of control. The main histological alterations were detected in tunica media such as extensive thickening (414.32±9.62 μm), irregular of elastic fibers and intensive α-SMA staining in diabetic rats. The thickness of tunica media was statistically increased in DM group, when compared with the control group (p<0.001). On the other hand, AMG prevented disorganization of elastic fibers and overexpression of α-SMA. The mean thickness of tunica media was decreased significantly in DM+AMG (319.16±6.53 μm) compared with the DM group (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that AMG treatment may protect the impairment of aort structure at histological level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University; Malatya-Turkey. h_elbe@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hülya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Elbe
authors.forename: Nigar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vardı
authors.forename: Doğan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Orman
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taşlıdere
authors.forename: Azibe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yıldız
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006146:Guanidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013311:Streptozocin; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C558396:Acta2 protein, mouse; D000199:Actins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006146:Guanidines; D013311:Streptozocin; C004479:pimagedine