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Treatment with hydrogen sulfide alleviates streptozotocin‐induced diabetic retinopathy in rats
Author(s) -
Si YanFang,
Wang Jun,
Guan Juan,
Zhou Li,
Sheng Yu,
Zhao Juan
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1111/bph.12163
Subject(s) - streptozotocin , diabetic retinopathy , endocrinology , medicine , diabetes mellitus , retinal , retinopathy , ophthalmology
Background and Purpose Retinopathy, as a common complication of diabetes, is a leading cause of reduced visual acuity and acquired blindness in the adult population. The aim of present study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of hydrogen sulfide on streptozotocin ( STZ )‐induced diabetic retinopathy in rats. Experimental Approach Rats were injected with a single i.p. injection of STZ (60 mg·kg −1 ) to induce diabetic retinopathy. Two weeks later, the rats were treated with NaHS (i.p. injection of 0.1 mL ·kg −1 ·d −1 of 0.28 mol· L −1 NaHS , a donor of H 2 S ) for 14 weeks. Key Results Treatment with H 2 S had no significant effect on blood glucose in STZ ‐induced diabetic rats. Treatment with exogenous H 2 S enhanced H 2 S levels in both plasma and retinas of STZ ‐induced diabetic rats. Treatment with H 2 S in STZ ‐treated rats improved the retinal neuronal dysfunction marked by enhanced amplitudes of b‐waves and oscillatory potentials and expression of synaptophysin and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, alleviated retinal vascular abnormalities marked by reduced retinal vascular permeability and acellular capillary formation, decreased vitreous VEGF content, down‐regulated expressions of HIF ‐1α and VEGFR2 , and enhanced occludin expression, and attenuated retinal thickening and suppressed expression of extracellular matrix molecules including laminin β1 and collagen IV α3 expression in retinas of STZ ‐induced diabetic rats. Treatment with H 2 S in retinas of STZ ‐induced diabetic rats abated oxidative stress, alleviated mitochondrial dysfunction, suppressed NF‐κB activation and attenuated inflammation. Conclusions and Implications Treatment with H 2 S alleviates STZ ‐induced diabetic retinopathy in rats possibly through abating oxidative stress and suppressing inflammation.