Mitochondrial respiratory chain dysfunction in dorsal root ganglia of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and its correction by insulin treatment." Diabetes 59(4

OBJECTIVE—Impairments in mitochondrial physiology may play a role in diabetic sensory neuropathy. We tested the hypothesis that mitochondrial dysfunction in sensory neurons is due to abnormal mitochondrial respiratory function. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Rates of oxygen con-sumption were measured in mitochondria from dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of 12- to- 22-week streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats, diabetic rats treated with insulin, and age-matched controls. Activities and expression of components of mitochon-drial complexes and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed. RESULTS—Rates of coupled respiration with pyruvate malate (P M) and with ascorbate TMPD (Asc TMPD) in DRG were unchanged after 12 weeks of diabetes. By 22 weeks of diabetes, respiration with P M was significantly decreased b