Hippocampal ZnT3 (SLC30A3) Levels Reflect Hippocampal Tissue Damage in Chronic Exercising Diabetic Rats

Objective: In this study, it was investigated how chronic exercise affects hippocampus tissue damage and ZnT3 levels in diabetic rats. Methods: The 40 adult rats wereused in the study were divided into 4 equal groups: Control (G1), Exercise Control (G2), Diabetes (G3), Diabetes+Exercise (G4). Diabetes was induced in animals in G3 and G4 by injecting intraperitoneal streptozotocin (STZ) twice, 24 hours apart. The animals in G2 and G4 were runedon the rat treadmill for 45 minutes daily for 4 weeks. MDA (spectrophotometric method) and ZnT3 (ELISA method) levels were determined in hippocampus tissue samples obtained from animals sacrificed at the end of the experimental procedures. Results: In the current study, the highest MDA and lowest ZnT3 levels in the hippocampus tissue were obtained in the diabetes group (G3) (P<0.05). Chronic exercise prevented increased hippocampal tissue damage in diabetic rats and reversed decreased ZnT3 levels (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results of our study showed that 4 weeks of chronic exercise could be prevent increased tissue damage in the hippocampus tissue of diabetic rats and ameliorate the decreased ZnT3 levels. The data obtained in this study indicate that ZnT3 levels in diabetic rats may be an indicator of hippocampal tissue damage.