Date of Award

12-1995

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Chemistry

First Advisor

Dr. Susan R. Stapleton

Second Advisor

Dr. J. H. Howell

Third Advisor

Dr. M. E. McCarville

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Tissue antioxidation status is considered to be an important factor for elucidating the etiology of diabetes and its physiological complications. This study was aimed to determine the in vivo antioxidant enzyme levels in the altered antioxidant status of diabetic rat liver with the treatment of two potent insulin mimetics, vanadium and selenate. The direct effects of vanadate, selenate, and zinc (another insulin mimetic) on the antioxidant enzyme levels in primary rat hepatocytes in culture was also determined. Levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and gluthahione peroxidase (GPX) were determined in both model systems.

In the vivo model, insulin treatment completely resorted SOD and GPX but partially resorted CAT. Vanadate treatment restored SOD, CAT, and GPX, however, selenate treatment only partially restored CAT and SOD. In vitro treatments of the mimetics did not show significant change in either SOD concentration or GPX activity at either 24 or 36 hours post treatment. However, decreased CAT activity was observed after 48 hours of treatment with either insulin, vanadate, or zinc and an increased activity with selenate treatment.

Included in

Chemistry Commons

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