Summary
The effects of the prostacyclin analogue iloprost on nerve function were examined in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Rats were treated either with iloprost from induction of diabetes over 2 months in a preventive experiment, or for 1 month following a 1 month untreated period of diabetes in a reversal experiment. One and 2 months untreated diabetic control, non-diabetic control, and iloprost-treated non-diabetic groups were also used.
Diabetes of 1 month duration caused a 21% (P < 0.001) reduction in sciatic motor conduction velocity and a 14% (P (0.001) deficit in saphenous sensory conduction. This was not significantly changed over a subsequent month without treatment. Diabetic rats given iloprost treatment in both preventive and reversal studies had motor and sensory conduction velocities not significantly different from those of non-diabetic controls, but greater than for untreated diabetes (P < 0.01). Iloprost treatment did not have a significant effect on nerve conduction in non-diabetic rats. The time taken for sciatic nerve compound action potential amplitude to be reduced by 80% under hypoxic conditions in vitro was progressively elevated by 19% and 57% after 1 and 2 months diabetes respectively. Iloprost treatment significantly attenuated this for both preventive (47%, P < 0.001) and reversal (50%, P < 0.001) studies. There was no effect on hypoxic resistance for non-diabetic rats. In the preventive group there was a 28010 increase in sciatic nerve endoneurial capillary density (P < 0.001), a lesser effect (16%, P < 0.05) in the reversal group, and no effect in non-diabetic rats. Sciatic nerve sorbitol, fructose and myo-inositol levels were measured in 2 month diabetic control and reversal iloprost-treated groups. Treatment had no significant effect on the elevation of polyol pathway metabolites or myo-inositol concentration.
We conclude that iloprost treatment may compensate for reduced prostacyclin production by vasa nervorum. Although short durations of experimental diabetes do not result in the severe degenerative changes found in clinical neuropathy, it is nevertheless possible that iloprost may have therapeutic potential for vascular-related diabetic complications.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baynes JW (1991) Role of oxidative stress in the development of complications in diabetes. Diabetes 40:405–412
Bianchi R, Boccasavia E, Vittadello M, Schiavinato A, Gorio A (1987) Sciatic nerve ATPase activity is unaffected in diabetic mutant C57BI/Ks (db/db) mice. Diabetes 36:1082–1085
Boulton AJM (1990) The diabetic foot: neuropathic in aetiology? Diabetic Med 7:852–858
Bravenboer B, Kapelle AC, Hamers FPT, van Buren T, Erkelens DW, Gispen WH (1992) Potential use of glutathione for the prevention and treatment of diabetic neuropathy in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat. Diabetologia 35:813–817
Cameron NE, Cotter MA (1992) Dissociation between biochemical and functional effects of the aldose reductase inhibitor ponalrestat on peripheral nerve in experimental diabetes. Br J Pharmacol 107: 939–944
Cameron NE, Cotter MA, Robertson S (1989) The effect of aldose reductase inhibition on the pattern of nerve conduction deficits in diabetic rats. Q J Exp Physiol 74:917–926
Cameron NE, Cotter MA, Low PA (1991 a) Nerve blood flow in early experimental diabetes in rats: relation to conduction deficits. Am J Physiol 261:E1-E8
Cameron NE, Cotter MA, Robertson S (1991 b) Essential fatty acid diet supplementation: effects on peripheral nerve and skeletal muscle function and capillarization in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes 40:532–539
Cameron NE, Cotter MA, Ferguson K, Robertson S, Radcliffe MA (1991 c) Effects of chronic α-adrenergic receptor blockade on peripheral nerve conduction, hypoxic resistance, polyols, Na+-K+-ATPase activity, and vascular supply in STZ-D rats. Diabetes 40:1652–1658
Cameron NE, Cotter MA, Robertson S (1992 a) Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition prevents the development of muscle and nerve dysfunction and stimulates angiogenesis in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Diabetologia 35:12–18
Cameron NE, Cotter MA, Maxfield E (1992b) Antioxidant treatment prevents peripheral nerve dysfunction in diabetic rats. Diabetologia 35 [Suppl 1]:A150 (abstr)
Cameron NE, Leonard MB, Ross I, Whiting P (1986) The effects of Sorbinil on peripheral nerve conduction velocity, polyol concentrations and morphology in the streptozotocin diabetic rat. Diabetologia 29:168–174
Christleib AR (1973) Diabetes and hypertensive vascular disease. Mechanism and treatment. AM J Cardiol 32:592–606
Cotter MA, Cameron NE, Dines KC, Maxfield E, Robertson S, Cox D (1992) The effect of evening primrose oil on nerve conduction in diabetic rats depends on product(s) of cyclooxygenase-mediated gamma-linolenic acid metabolism. Diabetic Med 9 [Suppl 1]:A12 (abstr)
Fujii K, Soma M, Huang Y-S, Manku MS, Horrobin DF (1986) Increased release of prostaglandins from the mesenteric vascular bed of diabetic animals: the effects of glucose and insulin. Prostaglandins Leuk Med 24:151–161
Gamma-linolenic Acid Multicentre Trial Group (1992) The effect of gamma-linolenic acid on diabetic neuropathy: a multicentre trial. In: Horrobin DF (ed) Treatment of diabetic neuropathy: a new approach. Churchill Livingstone. Edinburgh, pp 119–130
Hill MA, Larkins RG (1989) Altered microvascular reactivity in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats. Am J Physiol 257: H1438-H1445
Horrobin DF, Manku MS (1990) Clinical biochemistry of essential fatty acids. In: Horrobin DF (ed) Omega-6 essential fatty acids: pathophysiology and roles in clinical medicine. Liss, New York, pp 21–54
Hotta N, Kakuta H, Fukasawa H, Koh N, Sakakibara F, Komori H, Sakamoto N (1992) Effect of niceritol on streptozocin-induced diabetic neuropathy in rats. Diabetes 41:587–591
Inoue A, Yajima Y, Sano T, Suzuki S, Sakai H (1990) Effects of prostaglandin E1 on diabetic neuropathy. In: Ward JD, Goto Y (eds) Diabetic neuropathy. Wiley, Chichester, pp 505–510
Julu POO (1988) Essential fatty acids prevent slowed nerve conduction in streptozotocin diabetes. J Diab Comp 2:185–188
Lockett WJ, Tomlinson DR (1992) The effects of dietary treatment with essential fatty acids on sciatic nerve conduction and activity of the Na+/K+ pump in streptozotocin-diabetic cats. Br J Pharmacol 105:355–360
Low PA, Nickander KK (1991) Oxygen free radical effects in sciatic nerve in experimental diabetes. Diabetes 40:873–877
Low PA, Ward K, Schmelzer JD, Brimijoin S (1985) Ischemic conduction failure and energy metabolism in diabetic neuropathy. Am J Physiol 248:E457-E462
Low PA, Tuck RR, Takeuchi M (1987) Nerve microenvironment in diabetic neuropathy. In: Dyck PJ, Thomas PK, Asbury AK, Winegard AI, Porte D (eds) Diabetic neuropathy. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 266–278
Mizisin AP, Powell HC (1990) Diabetes and neurologic complications. Curr Opin Neurol Neurosurg 3:418–424
Müller B, Schmidtke M (1987) Microvascular effects of iloprost in the hamster cheek pouch. Adv Prostaglandin Thromb Leuk Res 17A: 455–458
Müller B, Schmidtke M, Witt W (1987) Action of the stable prostacyclin analogue iloprost on microvascular tone and permeability in the hamster cheek pouch. Prostaglandins Leuk Med 29:187–198
Müller B, Kraist T, Stuerzebecher S, Witt W, Schillinger E, Baldus B (1988) Potential therapeutic mechanisms of stable prostacyclin PGI2 mimetics in severe peripheral vascular disease. Biomed Biochim Acta 47:S40-S44
Newrick PG, Wilson AJ, Jakubowski J, Boulton AJM, Ward JD (1986) Sural nerve oxygen tension in diabetes. Br Med J 293:1053–1054
Oberender H, Krais TH, Schäfer M, Belcher G (1989) Clinical benefits of iloprost, a stable prostacyclin (PGI2) analog, in severe peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Adv Prostaglandins Thromb Leuk Res 19:311–316
Ohno A, Kanazawa A, Tanaka A, Miwa T, Ito H (1992) Effect of a prostaglandin I2 derivative (Iloprost) on peripheral neuropathy of diabetic rats. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 19:123–130
Sharma AK, Bajada S, Thomas PK (1981) Influence of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on myelinated nerve fibre maturation and on body growth in the rat. Acta Neuropathol 53:257–265
Shindo H, Tawata M, Aida K, Onaya T (1991) Clinical efficacy of a stable prostacyclin analog, iloprost, in diabetic neuropathy. Prostaglandins 41:85–96
Sonobe M, Yasuda H, Hisanaga T, Maeda K, Yamashita M, Kawabata T, Kikkawa R, Taniguchi Y, Shigeta T (1991) Amelioration of nerve Na+-K+-ATPase activity independently of myo-inositol levels of PGE1 analogue OP-1206.α-CD in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes 40:726–730
Stribling D, Mirrless DJ, Harrison HE, Earl DCN (1985) Properties of ICI 128,436, a novel aldose reductase inhibitor and its effects on diabetic complications in the rat. Metabolism 34:336–344
Suzuki K, Saito N, Sakata Y, Toyota T, Goto Y (1990) A new prostaglandin E1 analogue (TFC-612) improves the reduction in motor nerve conduction velocity in spontaneously diabetic GK (Goto-Kakizaki) rats. Prostaglandins 40:463–471
Tesfaye S, Malik R, Harris N, Jakubowski J, Wilson RM, Ward JD (1992) Epineurial new vessel formation following institution of insulin therapy. Diabetologia 35 [Suppl]:A158 (abstr)
Thiemermann C, Steinhagen Thiessen E, Schrör K (1984) Inhibition of oxygen-centred free radical formation by the stable prostacyclin-mimetic iloprost (ZK 36374) in acute myocardial ischemia. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 6:365–366
Tomlinson DR, Robinson JP, Compton AM, Keen P (1989) Essential fatty acid treatment — effects on nerve conduction, polyol pathway and axonal transport in streptozotocin diabetic rats. Diabetologia 32:655–659
Tomlinson DR, Willars GB, Carrington AL (1992) Aldose reductase inhibitors and diabetic complications. Pharmac Ther 54:151–194
Tuck RR, Schmelzer JD, Low PA (1984) Endoneurial blood flow and oxygen tension in the sciatic nerves of rats with experimental diabetic neuropathy. Brain 107:935–950
Ward KK, Low PA, Schmelzer JD, Zochodne DW (1989) Prostacyclin and noradrenaline in peripheral nerve of chronic experimental diabetes in rats. Brain 112:197–208
Yasuda H, Sonobe M, Yamashita M, Terada M, Hatanaka I, Huitian Z, Shigeta Y (1989) Effects of prostaglandin E1 analogue TFC 612 on diabetic neuropathy= in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats comparison with aldose reductase inhibitor ONO 2235. Diabetes 38:832–838
Young MJ, Veves A, Walker MG, Boulton AJM (1992) Correlations between nerve function and tissue oxygenation in diabetic patients: further clues to the aetiology of diabetic neuropathy? Diabetologia 35:1146–1150
Ziada AMAR, Hudlická O, Tyler KR, Wright AJA (1984) The effect of long term vasodilation on capillary growth and performance in rabbit heart and skeletal muscle. Cardiovasc Res 18:724–732
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Correspondence to N. E. Cameron at the above address
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cotter, M.A., Dines, K.C. & Cameron, N.E. Prevention and reversal of motor and sensory peripheral nerve conduction abnormalities in streptozotocin-diabetic rats by the prostacyclin analogue iloprost. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 347, 534–540 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00166747
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00166747