Oxidative stress damage of pancreatic β-cells is a key link in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. A long-term increase of free fatty acids induces the increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in β-cells, leading to apoptosis and dysfunction of β-cells. Ganoderma lucidum spore oil (GLSO) is a functional food complex with strong antioxidant activity, but its solubility and stability are poor. In the present study, GLSO-functionalized selenium nanoparticles (GLSO@SeNPs) with high stability and uniform particle size were synthesized by a high-pressure homogeneous emulsification method. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of GLSO@SeNPs on INS-1E rat insulinoma β-cells against palmitic-acid (PA)-induced cell death, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that GLSO@SeNPs had good stability and biocompatibility, and they significantly inhibited the PA-induced apoptosis of INS-1E pancreatic cells by regulating the activity of related antioxidant enzymes, including thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Western blot analysis showed that GLSO@SeNPs reversed the PA-induced changes in MAPK pathway protein expression levels. Thus, the present findings provided a new theoretical basis for utilizing GLSO@SeNPs as a treatment for type 2 diabetes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.