Mitigative effect of sodium alginate on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic neuropathy through regulation of redox status and miR-146a in the rat sciatic nerve

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a significant complication of diabetes with limited effective therapeutic options. Sodium alginate (SA), a natural polysaccharide from brown algae, has demonstrated health benefits, however, whether it can treat streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DPN remains unclear...

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Main Authors: Nema A. Mohamed, Naeimah M. Shouran, Amina E. Essawy, Ashraf M. Abdel-Moneim, Sherine Abdel Salam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PeerJ Inc. 2025-03-01
Series:PeerJ
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Online Access:https://peerj.com/articles/19046.pdf
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author Nema A. Mohamed
Naeimah M. Shouran
Amina E. Essawy
Ashraf M. Abdel-Moneim
Sherine Abdel Salam
author_facet Nema A. Mohamed
Naeimah M. Shouran
Amina E. Essawy
Ashraf M. Abdel-Moneim
Sherine Abdel Salam
author_sort Nema A. Mohamed
collection DOAJ
description Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a significant complication of diabetes with limited effective therapeutic options. Sodium alginate (SA), a natural polysaccharide from brown algae, has demonstrated health benefits, however, whether it can treat streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DPN remains unclear. The present experiment aimed to test the preventive role of SA on STZ-induced DPN in rats and explored the possible mechanisms. The DPN rat model was established in rats by intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 40 mg/kg b.w. STZ, and SA (200 mg/kg b.w./day) was orally administered for 28 days after type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) induction. The obtained findings revealed that STZ significantly increased serum levels of FBG, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, VLDL-C, and LDL-C, while decreased serum insulin, incretin GLP-1, HDL-C, and lipase activity. In the sciatic nerves, STZ significantly increased proinflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), caspase-3 (a pro-apoptotic protein), markers of oxidative stress (MDA and NO), and AGEs. In parallel, STZ induced a significant decline in the activities of enzymatic antioxidants, viz., SOD, CAT, and GPx, and non-enzymatic GSH. These changes were accompanied by a low expression of miR-146a in the sciatic nerves of DPN rats. Except for HOMA-IR, SA treatment to STZ injected rats significantly improved these parameters and helped to rescue the neurological morphology of the sciatic nerve fibers. In conclusion, SA mitigated experimental DPN, and this might be due to its ability to suppress hyperglycemic-hyperlipidemic effects, counteract the overactivation of inflammatory molecules, increase miR-146a expression, modulate oxidative dysregulation, and reduce cell apoptosis.
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spelling doaj-art-e44ed9518a1d458e88167ddee6f086e62025-08-20T02:41:43ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592025-03-0113e1904610.7717/peerj.19046Mitigative effect of sodium alginate on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic neuropathy through regulation of redox status and miR-146a in the rat sciatic nerveNema A. Mohamed0Naeimah M. Shouran1Amina E. Essawy2Ashraf M. Abdel-Moneim3Sherine Abdel Salam4Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, EgyptDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, EgyptDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, EgyptDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, EgyptDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, EgyptDiabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a significant complication of diabetes with limited effective therapeutic options. Sodium alginate (SA), a natural polysaccharide from brown algae, has demonstrated health benefits, however, whether it can treat streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DPN remains unclear. The present experiment aimed to test the preventive role of SA on STZ-induced DPN in rats and explored the possible mechanisms. The DPN rat model was established in rats by intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 40 mg/kg b.w. STZ, and SA (200 mg/kg b.w./day) was orally administered for 28 days after type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) induction. The obtained findings revealed that STZ significantly increased serum levels of FBG, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, VLDL-C, and LDL-C, while decreased serum insulin, incretin GLP-1, HDL-C, and lipase activity. In the sciatic nerves, STZ significantly increased proinflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), caspase-3 (a pro-apoptotic protein), markers of oxidative stress (MDA and NO), and AGEs. In parallel, STZ induced a significant decline in the activities of enzymatic antioxidants, viz., SOD, CAT, and GPx, and non-enzymatic GSH. These changes were accompanied by a low expression of miR-146a in the sciatic nerves of DPN rats. Except for HOMA-IR, SA treatment to STZ injected rats significantly improved these parameters and helped to rescue the neurological morphology of the sciatic nerve fibers. In conclusion, SA mitigated experimental DPN, and this might be due to its ability to suppress hyperglycemic-hyperlipidemic effects, counteract the overactivation of inflammatory molecules, increase miR-146a expression, modulate oxidative dysregulation, and reduce cell apoptosis.https://peerj.com/articles/19046.pdfSodium alginateDiabetic neuropathyOxidative stressInflammationApoptosisMiR-146a
spellingShingle Nema A. Mohamed
Naeimah M. Shouran
Amina E. Essawy
Ashraf M. Abdel-Moneim
Sherine Abdel Salam
Mitigative effect of sodium alginate on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic neuropathy through regulation of redox status and miR-146a in the rat sciatic nerve
PeerJ
Sodium alginate
Diabetic neuropathy
Oxidative stress
Inflammation
Apoptosis
MiR-146a
title Mitigative effect of sodium alginate on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic neuropathy through regulation of redox status and miR-146a in the rat sciatic nerve
title_full Mitigative effect of sodium alginate on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic neuropathy through regulation of redox status and miR-146a in the rat sciatic nerve
title_fullStr Mitigative effect of sodium alginate on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic neuropathy through regulation of redox status and miR-146a in the rat sciatic nerve
title_full_unstemmed Mitigative effect of sodium alginate on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic neuropathy through regulation of redox status and miR-146a in the rat sciatic nerve
title_short Mitigative effect of sodium alginate on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic neuropathy through regulation of redox status and miR-146a in the rat sciatic nerve
title_sort mitigative effect of sodium alginate on streptozotocin stz induced diabetic neuropathy through regulation of redox status and mir 146a in the rat sciatic nerve
topic Sodium alginate
Diabetic neuropathy
Oxidative stress
Inflammation
Apoptosis
MiR-146a
url https://peerj.com/articles/19046.pdf
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