Antioxidant defense systems in the brains of type II diabetic mice

The specific activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase (mu subtype) were significantly lower in the brains of mice with type II diabetes than in the brains of control mice. On the other hand, the specific activity of glutathione peroxidase was unaltered. The concentration of vitamin E, but not that of total glutathione and ascorbate, was increased in the brains of the type II diabetic mice. The relative amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (as determined with soybean lipoxygenase) was increased in whole brains and crude synaptosomal membranes of the type II diabetic mice. Endogenous levels of thiobarbituric acid-positive material were decreased in both whole brain homogenates and crude synaptosomal membranes of the db/db mice. Susceptibility of lipids within whole brain homogenates and crude synaptosomal membranes of mice with type II diabetes to peroxidation with iron/ascorbate was also markedly decreased compared with that of controls. Vitamin E is known to quench lipid peroxidation. Therefore, decreased lipid peroxidation in the type II mouse brain may be due to increased vitamin E content.