Effects of diabetes on oxidative and nitrosative stress in kidney mitochondria from aged rats

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia resulting from defects in the secretion and/or action of insulin. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) develops in diabetic patients and is characterized by a progressive deterioration of renal function. The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) produces most of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are involved in diabetic nephropathy. Due to the high incidence of DM in the elderly, the aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative and nitrosative stress in kidney mitochondria from aged rats. We evaluated lipid peroxidation (LPO), nitric oxide (NO•) production, S-nitrosylation profiles, glutathione levels, and glutathione reductase and aconitase activities under streptozotocin (STZ)-induced experimental diabetes in kidney mitochondria from aged rats. The results showed an increase in LPO, NO• production, and S-nitrosylated proteins in rats with STZ-induced diabetes. A decrease in glutathione (GSH) levels and glutathione reductase (GR) and aconitase activities in the rats that received the STZ-induced diabetes treatment was also observed, when compared with the age-related controls. The data suggest that oxidative and nitrosative stresses promote mitochondrial oxidative dysfunction in the more advanced age rat kidney in STZ-induced diabetes.