Permeability of blood nerve-barrier in diabetic rats

ABSTRACT

Experimental diabetes was induced in twenty rats using alloxan monohydrate. Another group of [10] normal rats of the same age and weight were served as control. Horse radish peroxidase [HRP] was injected I. V to demonstrate vascular permeability changes in sciatic nerves of these rats. Electron microscopic examination of ultrathin sections of sciatic nerves revealed that HRP reaction product was seen between the perineurial cells and within pinocytic vesicles of these cells in sciatic nerves of diabetic rats indicating failure of normal blood-nerve diffusion barrier. HRP reaction product was observed in the epineurium and did not penetrate into the endoneurium in sections of sciatic nerves of normal rats indicating normal blood-nerve diffusion barrier. It can be concluded that an increase in vascular permeability does occur in diabetic rats, resulting in impairment of blood-nerve diffusion barrier. The possible pathogenesis will be discussed