Cinnamic acid alleviates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress by targeting PPARδ in obesity and diabetes

Abstract Objective Cinnamic acid (CA) is a bioactive compound isolated from cinnamon. It has been demonstrated to ameliorate inflammation and metabolic diseases, which are associated with endothelial dysfunction. This study was aimed to study the potential protective effects of CA against diabetes-a...

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Main Authors: Yizhen Bai, Dechao Tan, Qiaowen Deng, Lingchao Miao, Yuehan Wang, Yan Zhou, Yifan Yang, Shengpeng Wang, Chi Teng Vong, Wai San Cheang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:Chinese Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01064-7
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author Yizhen Bai
Dechao Tan
Qiaowen Deng
Lingchao Miao
Yuehan Wang
Yan Zhou
Yifan Yang
Shengpeng Wang
Chi Teng Vong
Wai San Cheang
author_facet Yizhen Bai
Dechao Tan
Qiaowen Deng
Lingchao Miao
Yuehan Wang
Yan Zhou
Yifan Yang
Shengpeng Wang
Chi Teng Vong
Wai San Cheang
author_sort Yizhen Bai
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective Cinnamic acid (CA) is a bioactive compound isolated from cinnamon. It has been demonstrated to ameliorate inflammation and metabolic diseases, which are associated with endothelial dysfunction. This study was aimed to study the potential protective effects of CA against diabetes-associated endothelial dysfunction and its underlying mechanisms. Methods High-fat diet (HFD) with 60 kcal% fat was used to induce obesity/diabetes in C57BL/6 mice for 12 weeks. These diet-induced obese (DIO) mice were orally administered with CA at 20 or 40 mg/kg/day, pioglitazone (PIO) at 20 mg/kg/day or same volume of vehicle during the last 4 weeks. Isolated mouse aortic segments and primary culture rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs) were induced with high glucose (HG) to mimic hyperglycemia and co-treated with different concentrations of CA. Results In DIO mice, four-week administration of CA, particularly at 40 mg/kg/day, diminished the body weights, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and plasma lipid levels, and ameliorated endothelium-dependent relaxations (EDRs) and oxidative stress in aortas. The beneficial effects of CA were comparable to the positive control group, PIO. Western blotting results indicated that CA treatment upregulated the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARδ), and activated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/ heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/ protein kinase B (Akt)/ endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) signaling pathways in mouse aortas in vivo and ex vivo. HG stimulation impaired EDRs in mouse aortas and inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production but elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in RAECs. CA reversed these impairments. Importantly, PPARδ antagonist GSK0660 abolished the vasoprotective effects of CA. Molecular docking analysis suggested a high likelihood of mutual binding between CA and PPARδ. Conclusion CA protects against endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress in diabetes and obesity by targeting PPARδ through Nrf2/HO-1 and Akt/eNOS signaling pathways.
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spelling doaj-art-2eaa7ff46a814aa08445fe6db0934ee72025-01-26T12:52:34ZengBMCChinese Medicine1749-85462025-01-0120111210.1186/s13020-025-01064-7Cinnamic acid alleviates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress by targeting PPARδ in obesity and diabetesYizhen Bai0Dechao Tan1Qiaowen Deng2Lingchao Miao3Yuehan Wang4Yan Zhou5Yifan Yang6Shengpeng Wang7Chi Teng Vong8Wai San Cheang9State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of MacauState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of MacauState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of MacauState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of MacauState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of MacauState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of MacauState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of MacauState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of MacauState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of MacauState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of MacauAbstract Objective Cinnamic acid (CA) is a bioactive compound isolated from cinnamon. It has been demonstrated to ameliorate inflammation and metabolic diseases, which are associated with endothelial dysfunction. This study was aimed to study the potential protective effects of CA against diabetes-associated endothelial dysfunction and its underlying mechanisms. Methods High-fat diet (HFD) with 60 kcal% fat was used to induce obesity/diabetes in C57BL/6 mice for 12 weeks. These diet-induced obese (DIO) mice were orally administered with CA at 20 or 40 mg/kg/day, pioglitazone (PIO) at 20 mg/kg/day or same volume of vehicle during the last 4 weeks. Isolated mouse aortic segments and primary culture rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs) were induced with high glucose (HG) to mimic hyperglycemia and co-treated with different concentrations of CA. Results In DIO mice, four-week administration of CA, particularly at 40 mg/kg/day, diminished the body weights, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and plasma lipid levels, and ameliorated endothelium-dependent relaxations (EDRs) and oxidative stress in aortas. The beneficial effects of CA were comparable to the positive control group, PIO. Western blotting results indicated that CA treatment upregulated the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARδ), and activated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/ heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/ protein kinase B (Akt)/ endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) signaling pathways in mouse aortas in vivo and ex vivo. HG stimulation impaired EDRs in mouse aortas and inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production but elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in RAECs. CA reversed these impairments. Importantly, PPARδ antagonist GSK0660 abolished the vasoprotective effects of CA. Molecular docking analysis suggested a high likelihood of mutual binding between CA and PPARδ. Conclusion CA protects against endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress in diabetes and obesity by targeting PPARδ through Nrf2/HO-1 and Akt/eNOS signaling pathways.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01064-7Cinnamic acidEndothelial functionOxidative stressPPARδDiabetesObesity
spellingShingle Yizhen Bai
Dechao Tan
Qiaowen Deng
Lingchao Miao
Yuehan Wang
Yan Zhou
Yifan Yang
Shengpeng Wang
Chi Teng Vong
Wai San Cheang
Cinnamic acid alleviates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress by targeting PPARδ in obesity and diabetes
Chinese Medicine
Cinnamic acid
Endothelial function
Oxidative stress
PPARδ
Diabetes
Obesity
title Cinnamic acid alleviates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress by targeting PPARδ in obesity and diabetes
title_full Cinnamic acid alleviates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress by targeting PPARδ in obesity and diabetes
title_fullStr Cinnamic acid alleviates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress by targeting PPARδ in obesity and diabetes
title_full_unstemmed Cinnamic acid alleviates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress by targeting PPARδ in obesity and diabetes
title_short Cinnamic acid alleviates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress by targeting PPARδ in obesity and diabetes
title_sort cinnamic acid alleviates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress by targeting pparδ in obesity and diabetes
topic Cinnamic acid
Endothelial function
Oxidative stress
PPARδ
Diabetes
Obesity
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01064-7
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