Journal article
Increase in TUNEL Positive Cells in Aorta from Diabetic Rats
Endothelium (New York, N.Y.), Vol.5(4), pp.241-250
1997
DOI: 10.3109/10623329709052589
PMID: 9588816
Abstract
TUNEL staining, which allows detection of fragmented DNA in situ, is commonly used as an indication of apoptosis. Recent studies suggest that apoptosis is increased in several pathophysiological conditions. In this study we examined the hypothesis that chronic diabetes is associated with an increase in TUNEL staining of the aorta. Diabetic rats were studied 4-5 months after injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). Aorta of diabetic and control rats were examined for TUNEL staining, morphology by electron microscopy, and DNA contamination in RNA preparation by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). TUNEL staining of aortic sections showed a 6 fold increase of positive cells in the media of diabetic aorta (22 ± 6%) (mean ± SE) compared with aorta from age-matched controls (3.6 ± 0.9%, p < 0.05). Electron microscopy demonstrated typical apoptotic cells and bodies in the media of aorta from diabetic but not control rats. DNA contamination was found in RNA prepared from diabetic aorta, which was detected using PCR, which is consistent with increased DNA fragmentation. Increased TUNEL staining was not observed in rats with hyperglycemia 3 days after injection of streptozotocin. In conclusion, severe chronic diabetes is associated with an increase in TUNEL staining, and perhaps apoptosis, in the aorta. We speculate that increased apoptosis may compensate for increased proliferative activity in diabetic blood vessels.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Increase in TUNEL Positive Cells in Aorta from Diabetic Rats
- Creators
- Yi Chu - 1Departments of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology, Cardiovascular Center and Center on Aging, University of Iowa College of Medicine and Veterans Administration Medical CenterFrank M Faraci - 1Departments of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology, Cardiovascular Center and Center on Aging, University of Iowa College of Medicine and Veterans Administration Medical CenterHiroaki Ooboshi - 1Departments of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology, Cardiovascular Center and Center on Aging, University of Iowa College of Medicine and Veterans Administration Medical CenterDonald D Heistad - 1Departments of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology, Cardiovascular Center and Center on Aging, University of Iowa College of Medicine and Veterans Administration Medical Center
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Endothelium (New York, N.Y.), Vol.5(4), pp.241-250
- Publisher
- Informa UK Ltd
- DOI
- 10.3109/10623329709052589
- PMID
- 9588816
- ISSN
- 1062-3329
- eISSN
- 1029-2373
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 1997
- Academic Unit
- Cardiovascular Medicine; Neuroscience and Pharmacology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984040531002771
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