Evaluation of the effect of melatonin treatment on telomere length of the retinal pigment epithelium in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model

• Published in: BMC ophthalmology 2024-12, Vol.24 (1), p.532-6, Article 532
• Main Author: Eren Ozdemir, Ayla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Complications and side effects; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - drug therapy; Diabetes therapy; Diabetic retinopathy; Diabetic Retinopathy - drug therapy; Edema; Epithelium; Genetic testing; Hyperglycemia; Integrated software; Laboratory animals; Male; Melatonin; Melatonin - pharmacology; Melatonin - therapeutic use; Metabolism; Metabolites; Oxidative stress; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Retina; Retinal pigment epithelium; Retinal Pigment Epithelium - drug effects; Retinal Pigment Epithelium - pathology; Retinopathy; Streptozocin; Telomer length; Telomerase; Telomere - drug effects; Telomeres; Yeast
• ISSN: 1471-2415; 1471-2415
• DOI: 10.1186/s12886-024-03732-y

We aimed to investigate the effect of diabetic retinopathy and melatonin treatment on the relative telomer lengths (RTL) in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. TL can be used to evaluate diabetes mellitus, its complications, and the effectiveness of its treatment. However, TL assessment has not been performed in retinal cells in a diabetic retinopathy model until now. Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into four groups. The experimental groups were: Control Group (C): non- diabetic rats; Diabetes Mellitus Group (DM): rats induced to diabetes without treatment; Melatonin and Diabetes Mellitus Group (Mel + DM): rats induced to diabetes and after confirmation, treated with melatonin; Melatonin Group (Mel): rats were not induced to diabetes, treated with melatonin. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin solution after 12 h food fasting. For eight weeks after the diabetes was induced, melatonin was administered via subcutaneous injection at a dose of 10 mg / kg. RTLs were measured by qPCR method with modifications. The comparison of averaged data among groups was performed using least significant difference (LSD) and Kruskal - Wallis Test and One way ANOVA test. RTL was significantly similar in control and melatonin group. RTL was thinnest in DM group, in addition melatonin treatment significantly prevented the RTL shortening in DM + Mel group (p = 0.031). We demonstrated that diabetic retinopathy led to the shortening of RTL in RPE cells in rats and melatonin treatment prevents this shortening.