EFFECTS OF METABOLIC SYNDROME ON BLOOD CELLS OF RATS

Abstract

Objective: The study is focused on the effects of metabolic syndrome induced by high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet on erythrocytes and platelets of rats. Design and method: The 6-week old Wistar rats (n = 23) were used for study. Rats were divided into control and experimental groups. The rats from the control group were fed standard rat chow. The rats from the experimental group had a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. Body weight, blood pressure (BP) were assessed. After 12 weeks of a diet load an oral glucose tolerance test was carried out. Hematological and biochemical parameters in plasma were analyzed. The conductivity of the KCa-channels of the erythrocyte membrane was measured by potentiometric method, and the platelet aggregation was determined by turbidimetric method. Results: High-fat, high-carbohydrate diet feeding in rats for 12 weeks led to obesity, BP elevation, hyperglycemia, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia with triglyceridemia. Elevation of number of leukocytes due to granulocytes and platelets were observed in the experimental group. The collagen-induced aggregation of platelets was elevated in rats with metabolic syndrome. Red blood cell count in rats of the experimental group did not significantly differ from the control group. The multidirectional changes in the membrane potential were observed in response to the stimulation of the KCa-channels of the erythrocyte membrane of the experimental group with the Ca2 + ionophore A23187 or the redox-system. Conclusions: The data obtained indicate that a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet leads to metabolic and hemorheological disorders, that are characteristic of metabolic syndrome.