title: Rapamycin inhibits oxidative and angiogenic mediators in diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of rapamycin in the prevention of diabetic oxidative stress and the regulation of angiogenic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diabetes was induced in 20 adult male Wistar rats by a single intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). Rats were randomly assigned into diabetic and rapamycin groups (n = 10). Ten healthy normal adult male rats of same age formed the control group. All groups were followed for 3 months. Rapamycin group received 1 mg/kg rapamycin via orogastric gavage during the last 4 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, rats were sacrificed and biochemical oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde and nitrotyrosine), together with vascular endothelial growth factor, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, and pigment epithelium-derived factor, were measured in the retina. Blood biochemical analyses were also done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the diabetic group, retinal malondialdehyde and nitrotyrosine levels were increased in comparison with control and rapamycin groups (p < 0.05). Rapamycin suppressed oxidative stress and showed a beneficial effect. It also decreased all angiomodulator cytokines compared with the diabetic group (p < 0.05). Correspondingly, rapamycin also decreased plasma malondialdehyde levels compared with the diabetic group (p = 0.037).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rapamycin may have a protective role against diabetes-induced oxidative retinal injury and may decrease angiomodulator cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaraş Sütçüimam University, Kahramanmaraş, Turkiye. Electronic address: gozdemir@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaraş Sütçüimam University, Kahramanmaraş, Turkiye.
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kılınç
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaraş Sütçüimam University, Kahramanmaraş, Turkiye.
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ergün
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaraş Sütçüimam University, Kahramanmaraş, Turkiye.
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sahin
mesh_terms: D043924:Angiogenesis Modulating Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015843:Serpins / Q000378:metabolism; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D000099174:Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor
chemical_list: D043924:Angiogenesis Modulating Agents; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005136:Eye Proteins; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D015843:Serpins; D020123:Sirolimus; D014443:Tyrosine; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000099174:Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor; C497444:Hif1a protein, rat; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat; C002744:3-nitrotyrosine