Nifuroxazide repurposing for protection from diabetes ‐induced retinal injury in rats: Implication of oxidative stress and JAK/STAT3 axis

Nifuroxazide (Nifu), the potent STAT3 inhibitor successfully protected the diabetic rats against diabetic retinopathy as it ameliorated the retinal structure deterioration. This effect could be attributed to modulating JAK/STAT3 axis and oxidative stress. AbstractThe prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is alarmingly increasing worldwide. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a prevailing DM microvascular complication, representing the major cause of blindness in working-age population. Inflammation is a crucial player in DR pathogenesis. JAK/STAT3 axis is a pleotropic cascade that modulates diverse inflammatory events. Nifuroxazide (Nifu) is a commonly used oral antibiotic with reported JAK/STAT3 inhibition activity. The present study investigated the potential protective effect of Nifu against diabetes-induced retinal injury. Effect of Nifu on oxidative stress, JAK/STAT3 axis and downstream inflammatory mediators has been also studied. Diabetes was induced in Sprague Dawley rats by single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50  mg/kg). Animals were assigned into four groups: normal, Nifu control, DM, and DM + Nifu. Nifu was orally administrated at 25 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks. The effects of Nifu on oxidative stress, JAK/STAT3 axis proteins, inflammatory factors, tight junction proteins, histological, and ultrastruc tural alterations were evaluated using spectrophotometry, gene and protein analyses, and histological studies. Nifu administration to diabetic rats attenu...
Source: BioFactors - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research