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Piao, Park, Baek, and Park: The Effects of Alpha-Lipoic Acid on Epidermal Nerve Preservation in the Diabetic Neuropathy of OLETF Rats
Original Article
The Journal of Korean Diabetes Association

The Journal of Korean Diabetes Association 2006; 30(3): 170-176.

Published online: 31 May 2006

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4093/jkda.2006.30.3.170

The Effects of Alpha-Lipoic Acid on Epidermal Nerve Preservation in the Diabetic Neuropathy of OLETF Rats

Ming Han Piao1, Ji Hyun Park, Hong Sun Baek, Tae Sun Park

1Department of Medicine of the Graduate School, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Korea.

Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Korea.

Received 16 January 2006       Accepted 20 April 2006

Copyright © 2006 Korean Diabetes Association

Abstract

Background

Alpha-Lipoic acid (ALA) administration has been reported to ameliorate some of symptoms of peripheral polyneuropathy in diabetic patients and to improve endoneurial nutritive neural blood flow and nerve conduction velocity in diabetic rats. But it is not clear whether ALA has the preservation effect on epidermal nerve fibers (ENFs) density.

Methods

We tested the efficacy of ALA in preserving current perception thresholds (CPTs) and ENFs (numbers/mm) in OLETF (Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty) rats, an animal model of type 2 diabetes, which were fed with sucrose until diabetes mellitus developed. Thereafter, one group of OLETF rats was fed with ALA and the other was not for 40 weeks. Diabetic rats were administered with ALA (80 mg/kg of body weight/day) by oral feeding for 40 weeks. The effect of ALA treatment on ENFs preservation was assessed by protein gene product 9.5 immunostaining. Quantification of neuropathic symptoms on the dorsum of hind paws of rat was measured by CPT test every 4 weeks.

Results

Numbers of ENF significantly decreased in OLETF rats fed without ALA compared with OLETF rats fed with ALA (P < 0.01). The thresholds at 2000, 250 and 5 Hz in OLETF rats fed with ALA did not increased and OLETF rats without ALA significantly increased at 80 weeks (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

These observations suggest that administrations of ALA may be useful for preserving ENFs and CPTs in OLETF rats dorsum of hind paws skin.

Keywords: Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Current perception threshold, Diabetic neuropathy, Epidermal nerve fiber density

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
Glucose concentration and body weight changes in ALA administration and control group during experiment.
ALA, alpha lipoic acid.
jkda-30-170-g001
Fig. 2
Current perception thresholds change of 2000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz of ALA administration and control group during experiment.
*P < 0.01 compare to control and ALA group; ALA, alpha lipoic acid.
jkda-30-170-g002
Fig. 3
Morphological change of dermal (A) and epidermal nerve fibers (B) of OLETF rats dorsum of hind paws skin by protein gene product 9.5 immunostaining. A: ALA administration (a) and control (b) group show the preservation of dermal nerve fiber number and thickness(× 100); Arrow indicates dermal nerve fibers. B: Epidermal nerve fibers change in ALA administration and control group. Arrow indicates epidermis (× 200).
jkda-30-170-g003
Fig. 4
Difference of epidermal nerve fiber densities between ALA administration group and control group.
*P < 0.01 compare to ALA administration and control group.
ALA, alpha lipoic acid.
jkda-30-170-g004
Table 1
Current Perception Thresholds at the Beginning and the End of Experiment
jkda-30-170-i001

ALA, alpha lipoic acid.

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