Pterostilbene Prevents Early Diabetic Retinopathy Alterations in a Rabbit Experimental Model
Oxidative stress generated by diabetes plays a key role in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR), a common diabetic complication. DR remains asymptomatic until it reaches advanced stages, which complicate its treatment. Although it is known that good metabolic control is essential for preventing DR, knowledge of the disease is incomplete and an effective treatment with no side effects is lacking. Pterostilbene (Pter), a natural stilbene with good antioxidant activity, has proved to beneficially affect different pathologies, including diabetes. Therefore, our study aimed to analyse the protective and/or therapeutic capacity of Pter against oxidant damage by characterising early retina…
PGC-1α, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress: An Integrative View in Metabolism
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator (PGC)-1α is a transcriptional coactivator described as a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and function, including oxidative phosphorylation and reactive oxygen species detoxification. PGC-1α is highly expressed in tissues with high energy demands, and it is clearly associated with the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and its principal complications including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and hepatic steatosis. We herein review the molecular pathways regulated by PGC-1α, which connect oxidative stress and mitochondrial metabolism with inflammatory response and metabolic syndrome. PGC-1α regula…
Cellular targets in diabetic retinopathy therapy
Despite the existence of treatment for diabetes, inadequate metabolic control triggers the appearance of chronic complications such as diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is considered a multifactorial disease of complex etiology in which oxidative stress and low chronic inflammation play essential roles. Chronic exposure to hyperglycemia triggers a loss of redox balance that is critical for the appearance of neuronal and vascular damage during the development and progression of the disease. Current therapies for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy are used in advanced stages of the disease and are unable to reverse the retinal damage induced by hyperglycemia. The lack of effective…
Hypoxic preconditioning induces neuroprotection against oxidative stress
Brain is an oxyregulator organ, however extremely vulnerable to oxygen. Both high and low oxygen concentrations generate free radicals and may cause oxidative stress and damage because of an insufficient response of the antioxidant system. Hypoxic preconditioning (HP) exerts neuroprotective effects and may be a protecting tool against oxygen fluctuations, thus preventing neuronal damage in events such as ischaemia, acute hypoxia, stroke, or traumatic brain injury, among others. This review aims to discuss the molecular mechanisms involved in the neuroprotective action of HP against oxidative stress and subsequently upon the brain under pro-oxidant conditions. Activation of the antioxidant d…
Analysis of Lipid Peroxidation by UPLC-MS/MS and Retinoprotective Effects of the Natural Polyphenol Pterostilbene
The loss of redox homeostasis induced by hyperglycemia is an early sign and key factor in the development of diabetic retinopathy. Due to the high level of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, diabetic retina is highly susceptible to lipid peroxidation, source of pathophysiological alterations in diabetic retinopathy. Previous studies have shown that pterostilbene, a natural antioxidant polyphenol, is an effective therapy against diabetic retinopathy development, although its protective effects on lipid peroxidation are not well known. Plasma, urine and retinas from diabetic rabbits, control and diabetic rabbits treated daily with pterostilbene were analyzed. Lipid peroxidation was evalu…