title: The role of nerve inflammation and exogenous iron load in experimental peripheral diabetic neuropathy (PDN).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iron is an essential but potentially toxic metal in mammals. Here we investigated a pathogenic role of exogenous iron in peripheral diabetic neuropathy (PDN) in an animal model for type 1 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diabetes was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ) in 4-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats. STZ-diabetic rats and non-diabetic rats were fed with high, standard, or low iron diet. After three months of feeding, animals were tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  STZ-rats on standard iron diet showed overt diabetes, slowed motor nerve conduction, marked degeneration of distal intraepidermal nerve fibers, mild intraneural infiltration with macrophages and T-cells in the sciatic nerve, and increased iron levels in serum and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. While motor fibers were afflicted in all STZ-groups, only a low iron-diet led also to reduced sensory conduction velocities in the sciatic nerve. In addition, only STZ-rats on a low iron diet showed damaged mitochondria in numerous DRG neurons, a more profound intraepidermal nerve fiber degeneration indicating small fiber neuropathy, and even more inflammatory cells in sciatic nerves than seen in any other experimental group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that dietary iron-deficiency rather than iron overload, and mild inflammation may both promote neuropathy in STZ-induced experimental PDN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 21, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kosacka
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Estrela-Lopis
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 13, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Woidt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 13, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Serke
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 21, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paeschke
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stockinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 21, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany; Integrated Research and Treatment Center (IFB) Adiposity Disease, Liebigstr. 21, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Klöting
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 21, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blüher
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Classen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics (ILM), University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 27, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thiery
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 13, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bechmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 11, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Toyka
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 13, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: Marcin.Nowicki@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nowicki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D004032:Diet; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000473:pathology; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D009443:Neuritis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019266:Iron, Dietary; D007501:Iron
keywords: Iron; Nerve inflammation; Peripheral diabetic neuropathy; STZ-rats; Type 1 diabetes mellitus