The Effects of Systemic Coenzyme Q10 Treatment on Corneal Histology in Streptozocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

This study investigate the histopathological changes and VEGF, IL-1β, and IL-6 immunoreactivities in cornea treated with Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in a Streptozocin (STZ) induced diabetic rat model. A total of 20 male Wistar Albino rats including a group of STZ diabetic rats, diabetic rats treated with CoQ10, rats were given CoQ10 without being diabetic and a Control group were included the study. The groups were followed up for 2 months. Eye tissues were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE), Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS), and immunohistochemical staining (IHC).  The mean corneal thickness was found to be lower in the group with DM (126,62 ± 18,1) compared to the other groups. However, this decrease was found to be significant only in comparison with the control group (181,75 ± 13,87) (p = 0.000). In diabetic corneas, PAS positivity was observed in in Descemet's membrane (p = 0.021). Staining with VEGF, IL-1β, IL-6antibodies was found to be lower in the DM+CoQ10 group compared to the group with DM (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001). We observed that diabetes increases inflammation and tendency to angiogenesis in the corneal tissue, and CoQ10 treatment reduces the corneal thickness, inflammation, and tendency to angiogenesis caused by diabetes.