Open AccessSynergistic effect of nano-selenium and metformin on type 2 diabetic rat model: Diabetic complications alleviation through insulin sensitivity, oxidative mediators and inflammatory markers
Author(s) -
Shaymaa A. Abdulmalek,
Mahmoud Balbaa
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0220779
Subject(s) - metformin , oxidative stress , streptozotocin , diabetes mellitus , insulin , pharmacology , inflammation , medicine , endocrinology , type 2 diabetes , type 2 diabetes mellitus , antioxidant , insulin resistance , proinflammatory cytokine , chemistry , biochemistry
Background and objectives In the present article, we explore a novel strategy of selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by investigating the effect of Se-NPs alone and in combination with standard anti-diabetic drug metformin (MET) in high-fat diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ)-induced T2DM. Methods HFD was supplemented daily to experimental rats for 8 weeks, followed by a single low dose injection of 35 mg/kg of STZ to induce T2DM. The synergistic effect of the different therapeutic strategies on diabetic complications was evaluated after the Se-NPs and MET administration for 8 weeks. Molecular and biochemical analyses were conducted to figure out the effectiveness of our treatment on insulin sensitivity, oxidative mediators and inflammatory markers. Results Our observations demonstrated that HFD/STZ-induced rats have a toxic effect on serum and hepatic tissues resulted in inducing remarkable oxidative damage and hyper-inflammation with a significant disturbance in the insulin signaling pathway. Experimental animals either treated with mono-therapeutic-two doses Se-NPs (0.1 and 0.4 mg/kg) and/or MET (100 mg/kg) alone as well as the combined therapy resulted in a remarkable protective anti-diabetic effect illustrated by significant decreases in fasting blood glucose and insulin levels after 8 weeks treatment. At the same time, the levels of active insulin signaling proteins pIRS1/pAKT/pGSK-3β/pAMPK were significantly improved. Moreover, Se-NPs exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect by the mitigation of cytokine expression and a balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant status was restored. Furthermore, the anti-diabetic drug MET administration also exhibited a significant improvement in diabetic complications after the treatment period. Conclusion This study provides mightily the mechanism of action of combined Se-NPs and MET as a promising therapeutic alternative that synergistically alleviates most of diabetic complications and insulin resistance.