Characterization and Differentiation of Protein Structural Changes in Type I‐Diabetic Rat Testis Tissues and the Role of Vitamin C on Recovery: An FTIR Spectroscopic and Neural Network Study

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder leading to some destructions in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolisms. DM is also correlated with increased formation of free radicals and decreased levels of antioxidant potential which constitute the basis of risk factors for the development of diabetic complications. The complications of DM leads to chronic, irreversible damages in vital organs and systems. In the current study, it is aimed to investigate the effects of diabetes and protective and/or recovery effects of Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) against the complications of diabetes in rat testis tissue. Regarding this aim, FT‐IR spectroscopy, together with chemometric methods, were applied for characterization and discrimination of diabetic samples in protein region which contains well known amide I and amide II protein bands. The results revealed successful clustering of diabetic samples from the controls. The analysis of FT‐IR spectra showed considerable decrease in protein content of diabetic samples, probably due to protein breakdown caused by DM. Moreover, changes in band positions of Amide I and Amide II indicate alterations in protein structure and conformation. Alterations in protein secondary structures were also predicted using neural networks based on FTIR Amide I spectra. Furthermore, protective and/or recovery effects of Vitamin C on diabetes‐induced damages were investigated.