Basma Adel Khattab, Maha Osman Hammad, Zienab Helmy Eldken, Doaa Hellal, Sherin Zohdy Mohamed, Noha Hammad Sakr
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: The molecular basis of pancreatic steatosis is not entirely known. Aquaporins (AQPs) are integral membrane proteins involved in a variety of pancreatic functions. Given the little data regarding the potential role of aquaporins in the pathogenesis of pancreatic steatosis, this study was designed to assess the role of aquaporins and the NLRP3-inflammasome in the rat model of high-fat fructose diet (HFFD) and to investigate the impact of vitamin D supplementation and alternate day fasting (ADF) in ameliorating HFFD-induced pancreatic steatosis.
Method: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided equally into 4 groups. Group I (control group), Group II (HFFD group), Group III (HFFD + ADF group), and Group IV (HFFD + vitamin D group). By the end of the experiment, fasting blood samples were collected for determination of blood glucose, serum insulin, lipid profile, and insulin resistance. Oxidative stress biomarkers (malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione), inflammatory markers (interleukin-1β and TNF-α), and expression of aquaporins (AQP-1, AQP-3, and AQP-7) genes were evaluated in pancreatic tissues. Histopathological examination of the pancreas and immunohistochemistry of the NLRP3-infammasome and AQP-7 were performed.
Results: The HFFD group exhibited pancreatic steatosis with a significant elevation in the levels of blood sugar, serum insulin, insulin resistance, lipid profile, oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, and AQP-3 and AQP-7 mRNA expressions. Regarding histopathology, there were pale vacuolated-stained cytoplasm in acinar pancreatic cells and increased immunoreactivity for AQP-7 and NLRP3-inflammasome. All these parameters improved with ADF and vitamin D supplementation, with more favorable effects for ADF.
Conclusion: ADF and vitamin D treatment ameliorated the effect of the high-fat fructose diet at both levels of the biochemical and histopathological examinations.
期刊介绍：
Molecular Medicine is an open access journal that focuses on publishing recent findings related to disease pathogenesis at the molecular or physiological level. These insights can potentially contribute to the development of specific tools for disease diagnosis, treatment, or prevention. The journal considers manuscripts that present material pertinent to the genetic, molecular, or cellular underpinnings of critical physiological or disease processes. Submissions to Molecular Medicine are expected to elucidate the broader implications of the research findings for human disease and medicine in a manner that is accessible to a wide audience.
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