Diabetes Differentially Alters Glial Cells in Different Brain Regions

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> The chronic metabolic condition of hyperglycemia in type-2 diabetics is known to cause various neurological disorders and compromise recovery from brain insults. Previously, we reported a delayed and reduced glial cell response and a greater neuronal cell de...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rashmi Kumari, Lisa Willing, Patricia J. McLaughlin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Diabetology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4540/6/3/16
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Summary:<b>Background/Objectives:</b> The chronic metabolic condition of hyperglycemia in type-2 diabetics is known to cause various neurological disorders and compromise recovery from brain insults. Previously, we reported a delayed and reduced glial cell response and a greater neuronal cell death in different brain regions of diabetic, <i>db</i>/<i>db</i>, mice following cerebral hypoxic- ischemic injury. In this study, we explored the changes in baseline activation of astrocytes and microglia and its impact on vascular permeability in different brain regions. <b>Methods:</b> The numbers of activated astrocytes (GFAP-positive) and microglia/macrophage (Iba-1-positive) in the motor cortex, caudate and hippocampal regions of 12-week old, type-2 diabetic <i>db</i>/<i>db</i> and non-diabetic <i>db</i>/+ mice were quantitated. The leakage of serum IgG and loss of occludin, a tight junctional protein observed in the cortex and caudate of <i>db</i>/<i>db</i> mice, indicated a compromised blood brain barrier. <b>Results:</b> Results indicated significant differences in activation of glial cells in the cortex and caudate along with increased vessel permeability in diabetic mice. <b>Conclusions:</b> The study suggests that a constant activation of glial cells in the diabetic brain may be the cause of impaired inflammatory response and/or degenerating cerebral blood vessels which contribute to neuronal cell death upon CNS injury.
ISSN:2673-4540