The activity of the enzymes NTPDase and 5′-nucleotidase was studied in both diabetes mellitus and an associated model of iron-overload.
Rats were divided in five groups: citrate (CC), saline (S), diabetic (D), iron-overload (IO), and diabetic iron-overload (DIO).
Diabetes was induced with alloxan (150 mg/kg), and iron-overload was induced with iron-dextran (10 intramuscular applications
of ±80 mg/kg). The enzymatic activities were evaluated in the platelets. The results demonstrated an increase in the activity
of NTPDase with substrates ATP and ADP (60% and 120%, respectively;
P < 0.001), and 5′-nucleotidase (60%,
P < 0.001). This increase was more intense in the IO and DIO groups. The results obtained in vitro showed an activation in
ATP, ADP, and AMP hydrolysis between 1 µM and 1,000 µM ferric nitrate concentrations, being more pronounced at 100 µM and
decreasing at 1,000 µM. We concluded that diabetes mellitus in association with iron-overload increased the hydrolysis of
adenine nucleotides in platelets, contributing to the abnormalities found in these pathological conditions.
Keywords Diabetes - Iron-overload - NTPDase - 5′-nucleotidase - Nucleotide hydrolysis