ABSTRACT
The effect of the treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) on neurons releasing the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) of the submucous plexus in the jejunum of diabetic rats was the purpose of our investigation. Diabetes (DM) was induced by injecting streptozotocin endovenously (35mg/kg). After sacrificing the animals, the jejunum was collected and processed for VIP detection. Four groups were used: C (non-diabetic), CC (non-diabetic treated with ALC), D (diabetic), DC (diabetes treated with ALC). We analyzed the immunoreactivity and the cellular profile of 126 cell bodies. The treatment with ALC improved some aspects of DM. However, it promoted a small increase in the area of neurons from group CC, suggesting a possible neurotrophic effect. Neurons from groups D and DC showed a large increase in their cellular profile and immunoreactivity when compared to C and CC, suggesting a larger concentration of this neurotransmitter within the neurons that produce it. This observation constitutes a recurrent finding in diabetic animals, suggesting that ALC doesnot interfere in the pathophysiological mechanisms that unchain a higher production and/or neurotransmitter accumulation and increase the profile of the VIP-ergic neurons
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Acetylcarnitine/pharmacology , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/metabolism , Jejunum/innervation , Neurons/metabolism , Nootropic Agents/pharmacology , Submucous Plexus/drug effects , Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/metabolism , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Dietary Supplements , Diabetic Neuropathies/physiopathology , Immunohistochemistry , Jejunum/chemistry , Rats, Wistar , Streptozocin , Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/analysisABSTRACT
An eleven-year-old girl had massive watery diarrhea. She was found to have pancreatic VIPoma. It responded favorably to surgical resection of the tumor. There was no tumor recurrence at 18 months of follow-up.