The gene expression of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in streptozotocin-induced experimental diabetes in rat liver tissue

In this thesis, 20 female Wistar rats with experimentally induced-diabetes were used to investigate the gene expression profile of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the liver tissue. The rats were divided into 2 groups as control and the experimental diabetes group. In experimental diabetes group, a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ), dissolved in 0.01 M citrate buffer (pH: 4.5), at dose of 50 mg/kg/bw was given to the rats via intra-abdominal administration. A single dose of 0.01 M citrate buffer which is the vehicle for STZ was intra-abdominally applied to the rats in control group. 72 hours after STZ treatment, blood samples were collected from the tail vein, and the blood sugar levels were measured. Rats with fasting blood sugar levels above 350 mg / dL were considered to be diabetic. The rats were decapitated 21 days after STZ treatment. The liver tissues were collected, and the gene expression profile of VEGF in the liver was measured using real-time PCR. In conclusion, no significant difference in VEGF gene expression of the liver was found between diabetic and control rats.