Impacts of Empagliflozin (EMPA) Treatment on Skeletal Muscle Microvasculature in Type 1 Diabetic Rats

In individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and models of the disease, hyperglycemia is associated with microvascular complications, including reduced capillary ratio in skeletal muscle (SM). We investigated whether a blood glucose lowering drug, empagliflozin (EMPA), has any impact on the microvasculature in SM. T1D was induced in eight-week-old male rats using streptozotocin (65 mg/kg, n=21). Twenty-one rats were given daily insulin and 11 of 21 rats also consumed EMPA (30 mg/kg/day) for 14 days. Twelve healthy non-diabetic rats served as controls. Capillary content and angiogenic factors were assessed in three separate leg muscles. EMPA+insulin treated rats exhibited better glycemic control, but capillary to fibre ratio and VEGFa mRNA was not impacted by EMPA+insulin treatment in the tibialis anterior. PECAM mRNA and VEGFa protein expression was also not impacted by EMPA+insulin treatment. EMPA has no obvious impact on the vasculature of SM in type 1 diabetic rodents.

Author dc:creator

• El-Zahed, Maya

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Riddell, Michael C.

• Health sciences
• Physiology

Statement dc:rights

• Author owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10315/40637

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:yorkspace.library.yorku.ca:10315/40637