STZ-INDUCED DIABETES IN MICE AND HEME PATHWAY ENZYMES - EFFECT OF ALLYLISOPROPYLACETAMIDE AND ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL

A frequent coexistence of diabetes and porphyria disease has been repo rted. Under normal conditions, porphyrin biosynthesis is well regulate d to only form the amount of heme required for the synthesis of the va rious hemoproteins. The activity of some heme enzymes and rhodanese in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice and in allylisopropylaceta mide (AIA) induced experimental acute porphyria mice has been examined . The role of alpha-tocopherol (alpha-T), reported to prevent protein glycation in vitro, has also been investigated. AIA induced hepatic de lta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase (ALA-S) activity in control animals but was ineffective in the diabetic group. delta-Tocopherol did not m odify ALA-S activity in either group. delta-Aminolevulinic acid dehydr atase (ALA-D) and deaminase activities were significantly diminished b oth in liver and blood of diabetic animals, alpha-Tocopherol prevented inhibition of ALA-D, deaminase and blood rhodanese activities in diab etic animals but alpha-tocopherol by itself did not affect the basal l evels of the enzymes studied. The potential use of alpha-tocopherol to prevent late complications of diabetes, including the onset of a porp hyria like syndrome is considered.