EXPERIMENTAL DIABETIC AUTONOMIC NEUROPATHY

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  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 103  (2) , 210-225
Abstract
The regular occurrence of autonomic neuropathy, colonic dilatation and loss of fecal consistency was investigated in streptozotocin-diabetic, age-matched control and pancreatic-islet-transplanted rats using ultrastrucutal, histochemical and biochemical methods. Degenerating unmyelinated axons were observed by EM in the colonic submucosa and muscularis, ileal mesentery and splenic pedicle in 5-7-mo. diabetic animals; similar changes were not found in control rats or animals subjected to islet transplantation 3 wk after induction of diabetes and sacrificed 4-6 mo. later (colon only). Regenerative changes, including axons with identifiable growth cones, were demonstrated in the mesenteric nerves of chronically diabetic animals. Formaldehyde-induced catecholamine fluorescence and cholinesterase histochemistry suggested deficiencies in colonic adrenergic and cholinergic innervation; histochemical findings in islet-transplanted animals were comparable to those of untreated control animals. Biochemical measurements of the adrenergic and cholinergic nervous system marker enzymes dopamine-.beta.-hydroxylase and choline acetyltransferase, respectively, in colon and spleen confirm a deficit in adrenergic (colon and spleen) and cholinergic (colon) innervation in chronically diabetic animals.

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