Effect of acute intraperitoneal injection of methylglyoxal on organ injury and oxidative stress in chicks (Gallus gallus domestics).

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is an α-dicarbonyl compound and produced from several metabolic pathways, including glucose metabolism. This compound induces oxidative stress and organ damage in mammals and is associated with various diseases, including diabetes. Birds typically have higher blood-glucose levels than mammals, yet they rarely develop diabetic complications. This observation suggests that birds possess resistance to MGO, preventing the onset of diabetes-related issues. Nevertheless, the effects of MGO in birds remain poorly understood. In this study, the impact of high-dose MGO affect on organ injury and oxidative stress was investigated in chicks (Gallus gallus). Intraperitoneal injection of 400 mg/kg MGO resulted in decreased food intake at 6 and 24 h post-injection. However, plasma activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase-biomarkers for organ injury-were not elevated at both times. MGO did not increase plasma lipid peroxidation; instead, it enhanced total antioxidant capacity and uric acid concentration in the plasma at 6 h. In contrast, MGO increased lipid peroxidation in the liver and pectoralis major muscle at 6 h. Additionally, glutathione levels were reduced in these organs following exposure to MGO at 6 h. In summary, high doses of MGO induce oxidative stress in chicks, as seen in rodents, but may not lead to organ injury in avian models, at least acute injection.