Open AccessEffects of Sclerocarya birrea Stem-Bark Extracts on Glucose Uptake, Insulin Synthesis and Expression of Selected Genes Involved in the Synthesis and Secretion of Insulin in Rat Insulinoma Pancreatic Beta Cells
Author(s) -
Ananias Hodi Kgopa,
Jerry L. Shai,
Motetelo Alfred Mogale
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
asian journal of chemistry/asian journal of chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.145
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 0975-427X
pISSN - 0970-7077
DOI - 10.14233/ajchem.2020.22693
Subject(s) - glucokinase , glut2 , proinsulin , insulin , chemistry , glucose transporter , biochemistry , glucose uptake , gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , medicine , enzyme , gene , biology
The present study reported the effects of Sclerocarya birrea stem-bark (SBSB) extracts on glucose uptake, insulin synthesis and theexpression of glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), glucokinase, pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1), musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcomaoncogene homolog A (MafA) and pre-proinsulin genes in rat insulinoma (RIN)-m5F pancreatic beta cells. The amount of glucose takenupby RIN-m5F cells was measured using a glucose oxidase-based assay kit. Intracellular and secreted insulin were measured using anenzyme linked immunoassay kit. Pre-proinsulin gene expression was determined using the conventional polymerase chain reaction(PCR) technique, while the expressions of GLUT2, glucokinase, PDX-1 and MafA genes were evaluated using quantitative real-timePCR technique. Of the four SBSB extracts investigated in the study, only the SBSB hexane extract positively affected all the studyvariables in RIN-m5F cells compared with the DMSO control. Thus, the SBSB hexane extract contains phytochemicals capable ofenhancing insulin synthesis partly through up-regulation of the expression of GLUT2, glucokinase, PDX-1, MafA and pre-proinsulin genes.