OBJECTIVETo study the influences of hypertension and diabetes on arterial compliances and endothelial microparticle level.

METHODSFifty patients with hypertension and diabetes, 46 with hypertension, and 48 with diabetes were enrolled in this study, with 50 healthy volunteers group serving as the normal control. Large arterial compliance (C1) and small arterial compliance (C2) were measured using CVProfilor DO2020 cardiovascular profiling system, and the levels of CD31+/CD42- endothelial microparticles (EMPs) were determined by flow cytometry in these subjects.

RESULTSCompared with the hypertensive patients, diabetic patients and healthy volunteers, the patients with both hypertension and diabetes showed significantly decreased C1 and C2. C1 and C2 were significantly decreased in the hypertensive patients in comparison with those in the diabetic patients and the healthy volunteers. Compared with the healthy volunteers group, the diabetic patients showed markedly decreased C2 but normal C1. The levels of CD31+/CD42- EMPs were significantly increased in patients with both hypertension and diabetes compared with the other groups, and the diabetic patients had higher EMPs levels than the hypertensive patients. Pearson regression analysis indicated that C1 and C2 were inversely, while the levels of EMPs positively, correlated to the pulse pressure and 2 h plasma glucose; the levels of EMPs were not related with fasting glycemia.

CONCLUSIONHypertension appears to have greater impact on arterial compliance, especially C1, while diabetes is the major factor responsible for increased release of EMPs.

Arteries ; physiopathology ; Blood Pressure ; Case-Control Studies ; Compliance ; Diabetes Mellitus ; physiopathology ; Elasticity ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of hyperglycemia induced by different doses of strepzotozocin (STZ) on the liver, kidneys and eyes in rats.

METHODSFifty SD rats were divided equally into 5 groups to receive intraperitoneal injections with a single dose of STZ (40, 50, or 60 mg/kg), 3 doses of 25 mg/kg STZ (given at the interval of 24 h), or no treatment (blank control). The dynamic change of blood glucose was observed within 72 h after the first injection. Blood glucose was then monitored every 3 days and the general conditions of the rats were recorded. In the 9th week, fasting blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis and the pancreas, kidney, liver, and eye were examined for pathologies.

RESULTSWithin 72 h after STZ injection, blood glucose first slightly increased and then decreased and again increased to maintain a high level. Death occurred in rats receiving injections with 50 and 60 mg/kg STZ on the third day. In the surviving rats in the 4 STZ-injected groups, the success rate of modeling was 70%, 89%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. Blood glucose showed an inverse correlation with the body weight of the rats. Cataract was observed in the 10th week in rats injected with 40 mg/kg STZ and in the 8th week in the other groups. In the 9th week, the rats receiving 40 mg/kg STZ showed normal insulin, C-peptide, urea, UA, Cr, ALT, AST, TP, and ALB levels, but the rats in the other groups all showed variations in these biochemical indices, which corresponded to the pathological findings in the pancreas, kidneys, and liver.

CONCLUSIONSThree STZ doses of 25 mg/kg is optimal and efficient for inducing diabetes in rats with stable hyperglycemia. Both fasting and random blood glucose tests contribute to the evaluation of the complications of diabetes. The eyes are the most sensitive to hyperglycemia, followed by the kidneys and then by the liver.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; physiopathology ; Eye ; physiopathology ; Hyperglycemia ; physiopathology ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Pancreas ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Streptozocin

This study aimed to explore the cognitive dysfunction of and hippocampal neuron damage to Wistar rats with STZ-induced diabetes at different morbidity time. All Wistar rats in the tests received intraperitoneal injections of streptozotocin (STZ; 60 mg/kg) to induce type 1 diabetes. The concentration of blood glucose and the body weight were investigated, the cognitive ability of rats was assessed using a standardized Y-maze, and the apoptotic neurons in the CA1 of the hippocampus were also examined by using the HE staining. While the sickening time was prolonged, the blood glucose concentration of the experimental rats increased continuously and the body weight decreased. On the 70th day after STZ administration, the neuronal loss in the hippocampal CA1 region increased and the working errors increased in rats with the diabetes. The results showed that Wistar rats could complicate with diabetic encephalopathy in 70 days after injection of STZ for inducing the diabetes.
Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Body Weight ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; cytology ; pathology ; Cognition ; Cognition Disorders ; physiopathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; physiopathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Neurons ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Streptozocin

Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes Complications ; prevention & control ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; blood ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Dinoprost ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress

Glycated haemoglobins are haemoglobins with an attached sugar moiety. They constitute the HbA1 fraction of the adult haemoglobin HbA. HbA1c is the predominant fraction of HbA1 and gives an estimate of the blood sugar levels of an individual over the last three months. It has been observed that an HbA1c value of less than seven percent reduces the microvascular complications in diabetic patients. However, HbA1c is not affected by blood sugar levels alone. Apart from blood sugar, there are other factors that affect HbA1c. This article reviews in detail the structure, formation, methods of measurement, factors affecting HbA1c levels and their clinical significance.
Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; analysis ; metabolism ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To compare the flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) among the newly diagnosed impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and the normal controls (NC) and to analyze relevant factors under different glucose levels. METHODS: The study included IGT (n=34), DM1 (n=52), DM2 (n=33) and NC (n=25). Levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose (PPG), fasting insulin (FINS), 2-hour postprandial insulin (PINS), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) were determined in all participants. High resolution ultrasound examining FMD was performed to measure vascular endothelial function subsequently. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference between IGT, DM, HG and NC group in FMD (P=0.008). Partial correlation analysis found that a significant negative correlation existed between FMD and homeostasis model assessment-index (HOMA-IRI), difference of plasma glucose (DPG), FPG and PPG (P<0.01), and a negative correlation between FMD and HbA1C (P<0.05). Setting FMD as dependent variable to conduct multiple linear stepwise regression, in IGT group it was the waist/hip ratio (WHR) and HOMA-IRI that entered the regression equation; in DM1 group it was HOMA-IRI, PPG and DPG that entered the regression equation; in DM2 group it was FPG and HOMA-beta that entered the regression equation. CONCLUSION There exists a flow-mediated vasodilatation dysfunction in patients of newly diagnosed IGT and T2DM. Effect of relevant factors on FMD differs with different glucose levels.
Adult ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; physiopathology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiopathology ; Female ; Glucose Intolerance ; blood ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Clinical trials and animal experimental studies have demonstrated an association of arterial baroreflex impairment with the prognosis and mortality of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. As a primary part of the arterial baroreflex arc, the pressure sensitivity of arterial baroreceptors is blunted and involved in arterial baroreflex dysfunction in cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Changes in the arterial vascular walls, mechanosensitive ion channels, and voltage-gated ion channels contribute to the attenuation of arterial baroreceptor sensitivity. Some endogenous substances (such as angiotensin II and superoxide anion) can modulate these morphological and functional alterations through intracellular signaling pathways in impaired arterial baroreceptors. Arterial baroreceptors can be considered as a potential therapeutic target to improve the prognosis of patients with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Animals ; Baroreflex ; physiology ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Diabetes Mellitus ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Ion Channels ; metabolism ; Pressoreceptors ; metabolism

This project was designed to investigate the role of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in the diabetic renal injury by observing the expression of ACE2 in the kidney and the level of angiotensin II (AngII) in the circulatory system and kidney tissue of rats with diabetes. SD rats were randomly divided into control group and diabetes group. Diabetic nephropathy model was established by i.p. injection of streptozotocin (STZ). The rats were sacrificed separately on the 15th or 30th day after STZ injection. Biochemical parameters including blood glucose and renal function were examined. The expression of ACE2 in the kidney was detected by real-time PCR and Western blot. The contents of AngII in plasma and kidney were detected by radioimmunoassay. The results are as follows: (1) 48-72 h after STZ injection, the rats showed polyuria, polydipsia and their activity reduced. (2) Blood glucose levels were 4.9-6.5 mmol/L in the control rats, 14.0-17.5 mmol/L in the diabetes group rats on the 15th day, and higher than 24 mmol/L in the diabetes group rats on the 30th day; (3) There was a significant increase of urine glucose level (P < 0.05), and a slight but not significant increase of urine protein level (P > 0.05) in the diabetes group on the 15th day; On the 30th day, the levels of urine glucose and urine protein were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01); (4) Compared with the control group, the expression of ACE2 mRNA was slightly increased (P > 0.05), and the expression of ACE2 protein was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the rats of diabetic model group on the 15th day; however, on the 30th day, ACE2 mRNA expression in the rats of diabetic model group was significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05), and the expression of ACE2 protein was slightly lower than the control group (P = 0.0718). (5) Compared with the control group, the levels of AngII in plasma and kidney of the diabetic rats increased slightly on the 15th day (P > 0.05); while the AngII levels in diabetic model group rats were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that in control rats on the 30th day. These results suggest that ACE2 plays a positive role in the protection against the pathogenesis of early renal damage. ACE2 expression is reduced gradually with the deepened degree of diabetic kidney damage, leading to the accumulation of AngII in the kidney, thereby increasing the renal injury.
Angiotensin II ; blood ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; Kidney ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo examine the renal function changes and mechanisms on rats with diabetes through a sleeve gastrectomy operation.

METHODSThirty-six rats were induced diabetes through injection of streptozotocin (STZ), and 30 of these diabetic rats that blood glucose levels at the midrange (blood sugar 17.88-23.65 mmol/L, mean: 20.32 mmol/L) were randomly assigned to the sleeve gastrectomy group, Sham-operation group and control group. The serum creatinine, lipid parameters were measured postoperatively. The 24 h urine volume obtained and urine albumin excretion rate (UAER) was calculated. Serum and urinary creatinine were examined and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was counted. Kidney sections were stained with periodic acid-Schiff, and then the index of mesangial expansion was determined. The expression of synaptopodin for podocytes was also performed through the immunohistochemical procedure. A one-way ANOVA and t-test were performed to evaluate differences between groups and each other.

RESULTSOnly one rat of SG group died after operation. The GFR ((8.44 ± 2.10) ml · g⁻¹ · d⁻¹), 24 h UAER ((36.04 ± 11.10) mg/d), plasma lipids level (total cholesterol (1.66 ± 0.23) mmol/L, triglycerides (1.25 ± 0.17) mmol/L), kidney weight ((1.61 ± 0.06) g), the index of mesangial expansion ((6.14 ± 1.50)%) and synaptopodin expression ((20.44 ± 2.99)%) were improved in the SG group compared with the sham-operation group ((15.05 ± 3.01) ml · g⁻¹ · d⁻¹, (57.01 ± 11.34) mg/d, (2.15 ± 0.29) mmol/L, (1.65 ± 0.23) mmol/L, (1.93 ± 0.07) g, (11.32 ± 2.09)%, (10.34 ± 1.43)%) and control group ((14.79 ± 2.38) ml · g⁻¹ · d⁻¹, (62.71 ± 16.46) mg/d, (2.23 ± 0.21) mmol/L, (1.59 ± 0.20) mmol/L, (1.91 ± 0.06) g, (10.82 ± 1.79)%, (11.13 ± 2.43)%) (t = 0.781-5.025, all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe sleeve gastrectomy procedure can improve the renal function in a diabetes rat model may be through protecting the podocytes function and preventing the mesangial expansion of glomeruli.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Creatinine ; blood ; urine ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; physiopathology ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Gastrectomy ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Kidney Function Tests ; Random Allocation ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo determine whether mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells (M-PBMNCs) obtained from patients with diabetes was impaired in therapeutic neovascularization in limb ischemia, and to explore the pathological mechanisms of the impairment.

METHODSEndothelial progenitor cells (EPC) were cultured in EGM-2MV, and then characterized by uptake of 1, 1-dioctadecyl-3, 3, 3, 3-tetramethylindocarbocyanine-labeled acetylated low density lipoprotein (Dil-AcLDL) and binding of ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA). The number of EPC was compared between M-PBMNCs obtained from diabetic patients and those from normal subjects. M-PBMNCs obtained from diabetic patients, M-PBMNCs obtained from normal controls, or PBS were injected into the ischemic limbs of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nude mice. The limb blood perfusion was detected by laser Doppler blood perfusion imaging between these three groups in the following 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. Ambulatory score and ischemia damage were evaluated in the following 4 weeks. Capillary/fiber ratio was detected by CD31 or BS-1 lectin, and arteriole density was detected by alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMactin).

RESULTSThe number of EPC from diabetic patients were positively correlated with the blood perfusion (R = 0.486, P < 0.05) and capillary density (R = 0.491, P < 0.05), and the EPC number in diabetic patient were negatively correlation with their disease courses (R = - 0.587, P < 0.05). Transplantation of diabetic M-PBMNCs augmented the blood perfusion of ischemia hindlimbs, increased the capillary and arteriole densities, and promoted the collateral vessel formation. However, all the improvements were less significant in the diabetic patients than in the non-diabetic patients (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDiabetes decreased the capability of M-PBMNCs to augment neovascularization in ischemia.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus ; blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; physiopathology ; Endothelial Cells ; physiology ; transplantation ; Extremities ; blood supply ; Humans ; Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; physiology ; transplantation ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Microvessels ; physiopathology ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Stem Cell Transplantation