The gene expression of antioxidant enzymes 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 CuZn-SOD and CAT enzymes in the liver tissue. The rats were divided into 2 groups as control and the experimental diabetes group. In experimental diabetes group, as a single dose of 50 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) dissolved in 0.01 M citrate buffer (pH: 4,5) was given to the rats intraperitoneally administration. 0.01 M citrate buffer which is the vehicle for STZ was 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 CuZn-SOD and CAT in the liver was measured using real-time PCR. In conclusion, it was found that a significant decrease (p<0.05) in CuZn-SOD and CAT gene expression of diabetic groups according to control groups rats. Keywords : CAT, CuZn-SOD, Diabetes, mRNA, Rat, Streptozotocin.