title: Combination of vitamin E and folic acid ameliorate oxidative stress and apoptosis in diabetic rat uterus.
abstract: This study was designed to assess oxidative damage and cell apoptosis in the uterus of rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. The role of vitamin E (VE) and/or folic acid (FA) in the protection from such damage was also evaluated. The treatments were performed for 4 weeks on six groups of rats: 1) normal control 2) diabetic control 3) diabetic rats receiving olive oil as a vehicle (without VE) 4) diabetic rats treated with VE (200 mg/kg) in olive oil 5) diabetic rats treated with FA (25 mg/kg) and 6) diabetic rats treated with VE+FA (200 and 25 mg/kg, respectively). We measured the malondialdehyde level (MDA), glutathione content (GSH) and the activity of GSH peroxidase (GPx), GSH reductase (GR) and catalase. Changes in caspase-3 activity were quantified in uterine tissue to assess the rate of apoptosis. In the rat uterine tissues, MDA content and caspase-3 activity were significantly elevated, while GPx, GR and CAT activities and the GSH level were significantly decreased in the diabetic control compared with those in normal rats (p<0.05). The combination of the vitamins (VE+FA) restored uterine GSH content and enzymatic activities of GPx, GR and CAT and reduced the MDA level (p<0.05). A prominent reduction in apoptosis of uterine cells was detected in diabetic rats treated with two vitamins (p<0.05). Overall, VE alone, not FA, produced results similar to those of the VE+FA combination. Thus, in the uterine tissue of diabetic rats, diabetes complications (that are caused by oxidative damage and apoptosis induction) can be prevented by the systemic administration of VE and FA.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Biology Department, School of advanced medical sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, and Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zal
authors.affiliation: Recombinant Protein Lab in Biochemistry Department, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mahdian
authors.affiliation: Recombinant Protein Lab in Biochemistry Department, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Razieh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zare
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Bahmanpour
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soghra
authors.affiliation: Recombinant Protein Lab in Biochemistry Department, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, and Maternal-fetal medicine Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mostafavi-Pour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000032:analysis; D002374:Catalase / Q000032:analysis; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000032:analysis; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000032:analysis; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014599:Uterus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005492:Folic Acid; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D053148:Caspase 3; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: apoptosis; diabetes; folic acid; oxidative stress; uterus; vitamin E