American International Journal of Biology

Effect of Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF) on cerebral cells alterations in Diabetic rats
Mona Shehadeh, Shifra Sela, Eilam Palzur, Nitsa Mirsky

Abstract
Diabetes mellitus can lead to neuropathy and to cerebral cell death. Previously we showed that oral intake of Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF) extracted from yeast reduced blood glucose and inhibited nephropathy and retinopathy in diabetic rats. The aim of our study wasto evaluates the effects of diabetes on neurodegenerative processes in rat's brain and to examine the influence of GTF treatment on these parameters. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ). Diabetic rats were divided into 3 groups: Healthy, Diabetic untreated, and Diabetic treated with GTF. The hippocampus, known as the most sensitive area in the brain to the deleterious effects of diabetes, was studied. Cerebral apoptotic cell death was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using the TUNELassay, anti-glial fibrilary acidic protein (GFAP), and anti-neuron nucleus (NeuN) immunostaining. Blood glucose levels were remarkably increased in the STZ diabetic rats (healthy: 111.1+15.51, diabetic: 471.6+26.32 mg/dl),and significantly decreased to 352+20.49mg/dlin GTF treated group. The number of TUNEL stained apoptotic cells was significantly higher in diabetic rats compared to healthy and diabetic treated with GTF. Our data shows that programmed cell death is increased in the hippocampus of diabetic rats, but can be decreased by an oral treatment withGTF.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/aijb.v3n2a4