ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE SYSTEM IN DIABETIC KIDNEY - A TIME-COURSE STUDY

Oxygen free radicals (OFRs) have been suggested to be a contributory f actor in complications of diabetes mellitus. In the present study, we investigated the lipid peroxide level measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and activities of antioxidant enzymes viz. , [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-peroxida se (GSH-Px)] in the kidney of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats at various stages of development of diabetes. Sprague Dawley rats were di vided into two groups: group I, control (n = 42) and group II, diabeti c (n = 42). Each group was further subdivided into seven groups each c onsisting of six rats. Rats in subgroups were studied at weekly interv als (0 to 6 weeks). Blood glucose levels were estimated at the time of sacrifice. TBARS levels and activity of antioxidant enzymes were meas ured in kidney. The levels of TEARS in the diabetic group increased in itially, dropped to baseline level after 2 weeks and then progressivel y increased at 5(th) and 6(th) week (p < 0.05). There was an increase in catalase activity at first week after that it decreased as compared to control group. However, GSH-Px activity in the diabetic group incr eased after 1 week and then remained at the same level except a small drop in the 2nd week. Total SOD and CuZn-SOD activity increased signif icantly in diabetic kidney as compared to controls at all time interva ls, while Mn-SOD activity showed no change. The present findings sugge st that oxidative stress accompanies at early onset of diabetes mellit us and the susceptibility of the kidney to oxidative stress during the early stages may be an important factor in the development of diabeti c nephropathy.