Increased oxidative stress in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic apoE-deficient mouse: changes in expression of NADPH oxidase subunits and eNOS.

Elevated oxidative stress plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction in diabetes-associated vascular disease. Glucose-induced changes in the activity of NADPH oxidase and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) may result in vascular endothelial cell dysfunction via dysregulation of eNOS and/or changes in the expression of the subunits of NADPH oxidase. In this study, we have investigated whether changes in the expression of the subunits of NADPH oxidase, or eNOS mRNA, can be associated with oxidative stress in the streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE(-/-)) diabetic mouse. Oxidative stress was assessed in aorta and mesenteric arteries by immunofluorescence labelling with dihydroethidium and levels of NADPH oxidase subunits and eNOS were determined by a real-time polymerase chain reaction protocol. Blood glucose levels and oxidative stress were significantly increased following 4, 8 and 16 weeks after treatment with streptozotocin in both streptozotocin-apoE(-/-) aorta and mesenteric arteries compared to the time- and age-matched vehicle (citrate buffer)-treated non-diabetic apoE(-/-). In the mesenteric arteries the expression of nox4 (4 weeks) and gp91phox (nox2) (8 weeks) subunits of NADPH oxidase from streptozotocin-apoE(-/-) were enhanced as were eNOS mRNA and protein (P<0.05). However, only eNOS mRNA and protein remained increased at 16 weeks. These data indicate that increased oxidative stress in the vasculature of streptozotocin-apoE(-/-) mice is linked to changes in eNOS, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and NADPH oxidase expression.

Chronic rosiglitazone treatment restores AMPKalpha2 activity in insulin-resistant rat skeletal muscle.

Rosiglitazone (RSG) is an insulin-sensitizing thiazolidinedione (TZD) that exerts peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma)-dependent and -independent effects. We tested the hypothesis that part of the insulin-sensitizing effect of RSG is mediated through the action of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). First, we determined the effect of acute (30-60 min) incubation of L6 myotubes with RSG on AMPK regulation and palmitate oxidation. Compared with control (DMSO), 200 microM RSG increased (P < 0.05) AMPKalpha1 activity and phosphorylation of AMPK (Thr172). In addition, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Ser218) phosphorylation and palmitate oxidation were increased (P < 0.05) in these cells. To investigate the effects of chronic RSG treatment on AMPK regulation in skeletal muscle in vivo, obese Zucker rats were randomly allocated into two experimental groups: control and RSG. Lean Zucker rats were treated with vehicle and acted as a control group for obese Zucker rats. Rats were dosed daily for 6 wk with either vehicle (0.5% carboxymethylcellulose, 100 microl/100 g body mass), or 3 mg/kg RSG. AMPKalpha1 activity was similar in muscle from lean and obese animals and was unaffected by RSG treatment. AMPKalpha2 activity was approximately 25% lower in obese vs. lean animals (P < 0.05) but was normalized to control values after RSG treatment. ACC phosphorylation was decreased with obesity (P < 0.05) but restored to the level of lean controls with RSG treatment. Our data demonstrate that RSG restores AMPK signaling in skeletal muscle of insulin-resistant obese Zucker rats.

Endothelial dysfunction in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic apoE-deficient mouse.

Endothelial dysfunction plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis and diabetes-associated vascular disease and, in the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced apoE-deficient diabetic mouse, we report that, when compared to the citrate (CIT)-treated nondiabetic apoE-deficient control, acetylcholine (Ach)-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation was reduced in the small mesenteric arteries (SMA) and the plaque-prone regions of the aorta from the STZ-diabetic mouse. In the SMA the component of Ach-mediated relaxation that was attributed to nitric oxide (NO) from STZ-treated diabetic apoE-deficient mice was enhanced; however, the endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)-mediated component was reduced. The EDHF component was assessed by determining the component of the Ach-mediated response that was resistant to the combination of the NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, and soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, ODQ, and inhibited by the combination of the intermediate conductance KCa (IKCa) inhibitor TRAM-34 and the small-conductance KCa (SKCa) inhibitor apamin. Endothelial NOS was increased but SK2, SK3 and connexin (Cx) 37 mRNA expressions were significantly (P<0.05) decreased in the SMA from STZ-treated apoE-deficient mice compared to the CIT-treated controls. There was no difference in the IKCa expression or in Cx 40, 43 and 45 mRNA levels between STZ- and CIT-treated mice. The microvasculature of STZ-induced apoE-deficient mice developed endothelial dysfunction, which may be linked to a decrease in the contribution of the EDHF component due to a decrease in SK2 and 3 and Cx 37 expression.