Sialyllactose Alleviates Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes through Anti-Inflammatory and Metabolic Modulation

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Immunology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and inflammation.
• Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) involves autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells.
• Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and their derivatives like sialyllactose (SL) are being explored for therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the therapeutic effects of sialyllactose (SL) on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in a mouse model.
• To evaluate SL's impact on glucose metabolism, organ damage, and inflammatory markers in T1DM.
• To assess SL as a potential management strategy for T1DM.

Main Methods:

• Establishment of a T1DM mouse model using streptozotocin (STZ) injection.
• Pretreatment with sialyllactose (SL) prior to STZ induction.
• Assessment via biochemical analyses, glucose/insulin tolerance tests, histology, qRT-PCR, and western blotting.

Main Results:

• SL pretreatment improved body weight, glucose tolerance, and fasting blood glucose levels.
• SL mitigated STZ-induced liver, pancreas, kidney, and skeletal muscle damage.
• SL demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects by reducing TNF-α, MCP-1, and iNOS expression.
• SL improved electrolyte and lipid profiles, indicating metabolic benefits.

Conclusions:

• Sialyllactose (SL) exhibits significant protective effects against STZ-induced T1DM in mice.
• SL ameliorates hyperglycemia, organ damage, and inflammation associated with T1DM.
• SL is a potential therapeutic candidate for managing type 1 diabetes mellitus.