Changes in Liver Gangliosides in Streptozotocin‐induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is associated with various structural and functional liver abnormalities that affect the glycogen and lipid metabolisms. The effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes and of insulin supplementation to Sprague-Dawley diabetic rats on ganglioside patterns in liver were determined. Diabetic livers showed a tendency to hepatomegaly 3 weeks after STZ-induction of diabetes. The concentration of total gangliosides in diabetic and non-diabetic livers was similar, but the concentration of total gangliosides in the liver of insulin-stabilized rats was slightly increased. Bidimensional TLC chromatographic analysis of gangliosides isolated from normal diabetic and insulin-stabilized diabetic livers showed quantitative and qualitative changes. In comparison with normal controls, the densitometric analyses of diabetic liver ganglioside patterns had increased amounts of GM3, GM1, GD1b, and GT1b gangliosides, while GM2 could not be detected. The hepatic ganglioside pattern of insulin-stabilized diabetic rats was partially restored, resembling the profile of normal rats. The activity of GalNAcT, GalT-2 and SialT-4 transferases was measured in liver microsomal fractions of the different groups of animals. Diabetic rats showed an increased activity of GalNAcT and a decrease in the activity of GalT-2 and SialT-4 compared with the controls. The enzymatic activities found in insulin-treated rats showed a tendency to return to the values observed in normal control animals. The results evidenced that streptozotocin-induced diabetes affects the liver ganglioside pattern and the ganglioside synthesis enzyme activity. The alterations found in ganglioside metabolism could represent one of the earliest changes associated with the diabetic pathology.

Diabetes Alters Sphingolipid Metabolism in the Retina

“…Increases in glycosphingolipids also have been implicated in renal hypertrophy/diabetic nephropathy, possibly mediated by advanced glycation end products (37,49) and in the diabetic liver (50,51). In fact, autoantibodies to sulfatides, GT3, GD3, and GM2-1 have been identified in patients with type 1 diabetes (52).…”

Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Study of Antidiabetic Effects of Heracleum persicum Extract İn Experimentally Diabetic Rats

“…Since the liver has a central and critical role in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism, 7 various disorders affecting glycogen and lipid metabolism are formed in the liver as a result of DM. 8 Similarly, the oxidative stress is effective in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney complications. 9 In addition, damage of β cells of pancreas, which is known to Animals were housed at 20 ± 2 °C in daily light/dark cycle.…”

Protective Effects of Bryonia multiflora Extract on Pancreatic Beta Cells, Liver and Kidney of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats: Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Investigations

“…6 Since the liver has a central and critical role in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism, 7 various structural and functional disorders affecting glycogen and lipid metabolism are formed in the liver as a result of diabetes. 8 Similarly, the oxidative stress which is caused by hyperglycemia is effective in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney complications. 9 In addition, damage observed in β cells of pancreas, which is known to be one of the most sensitive structures to oxidative stress, is thought to be caused due to toxic effects of hyperglycemia.…”