Axonal transport and tissue contents of substance P in rats with long-term streptozotocin-diabetes. Effects of the aldose reductase inhibitor 'statil'.

This study examined the axonal transport of substance P-like immunoreactivity (SPLI) and its content in dorsal root ganglion, trigeminal ganglion, stomach and ileum of non-diabetic rats and two groups of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes of 9 months duration. One diabetic group received the aldose reductase inhibitor 'Statil' throughout the period of study. To reduce morbidity all diabetic animals were given twice-weekly injections of a long-acting insulin which restricted weight loss but did not prevent regular and severe hyperglycaemia. Axonal transport of SPLI was studied by measurement of accumulation at 12 h ligatures on the left sciatic nerve. There were no differences between the 3 groups either in the calculated anterograde and retrograde mean rates of accumulation (ranges 6.0 to 7.6 and 0.38 to 0.72 mm/h respectively) or mobile fractions of SPLI (means from 0.54 to 0.58). There were, however, marked reductions in anterograde and retrograde accumulations of SPLI in the constricted nerves of the 'untreated' diabetics (respectively 57 and 33% of controls; P less than 0.01 for both). In the 'Statil'-treated rats these deficits were attenuated (80 and 75% of controls). Diabetes also reduced the SPLI content of unligated sciatic nerve and trigeminal ganglion (65 and 75% of controls). 'Statil' prevented the deficit in the ganglion, but not in the nerve. 'Statil' treatment prevented the myo-inositol depletion and attenuated the sorbitol and fructose accumulation seen in the sciatic nerves of the untreated diabetic animals suggesting effective inhibition of aldose reductase in this tissue. The total SPLI content of the stomach and 1-cm segments of ileum were unaltered in the diabetic animals but due to the increased weights of these tissues the SPLI content per unit weight was reduced. These changes were unaffected by 'Statil'.