Effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on rat brain mitochondria

This study evaluated several parameters related to mitochondrial function and oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)-treated rats, a model of type 1 diabetes. For this purpose, the respiratory indexes (RCR and ADP/O ratio), mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsim), repolarization lag phase, repolarization level, mitochondrial enzymatic activities, ATP and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, reduced glutathione (GSH), vitamin E and cardiolipin contents were determined in rat brain mitochondria isolated after 4 and 9 weeks after STZ treatment. Brain mitochondria isolated from citrate (vehicle)-treated Wistar rats were used as control. We observed that STZ-induced diabetes did not substantially affect brain mitochondrial function. Instead, 4-week diabetic rats presented higher mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymatic activities, especially succinate-cytochrome C reductase activity, compared to 4-week control rats. In 9-week diabetic rats, only a significant decrease in cardiolipin content was observed; however, a significant increase in mitochondrial GSH content occurred. All other parameters analysed remained statistically unchanged. From these results, we conclude that STZ-induced diabetes did not promote brain mitochondrial dysfunction, suggesting that oxidative stress associated with type 1 diabetes is not directly related to mitochondrial dysfunction, but probably is related to extramitochondrial factor(s).