Increased peripherin in sympathetic axons innervating plantar metatarsal arteries in STZ-induced type I diabetic rats

Abstract

A common characteristic of axonopathy is the abnormal accumulation of cytoskeletal proteins. We recently reported that streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes produced a change in the morphology of sympathetic nerve fibers supplying rat plantar metatarsal arteries (PMAs). Here we investigated whether these morphological changes are associated with axonal accumulation of the type III intermediate filament peripherin and the microtubule protein ß-tubulin III, as both are implicated in axonal remodeling. PMAs from hyperglycemic STZ-treated rats receiving a low dose of insulin (STZ-LI) were compared with those from normoglycemic STZ-treated rats receiving a high dose of insulin (STZ-HI) and..