Propionate ameliorates diabetes-induced neurological dysfunction through regulating the PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway

Abstract

Diabetes-entailed disorder of cognition, deemed as "diabetes-entailed brain malfunction", finds its confirmation from numerous literature. Current evidence supports that oxidative stress, neuronal apoptosis, and cerebral microcirculation weakness are associated with cognition deficits induced by diabetes. The present study explores the effect of propionate on neurological deficits, cerebral blood flow, and oxidative stress in diabetic mice. Propionate could markedly improve neurological function, which was correlated with its capabilities of stimulating NO production, increasing cerebral microcirculation, suppressing oxidative stress and reducing neuron loss in the hippocampus. In addition, the results of western blotting indicated that the brain-protective function of propionate in STZ-induced T1DM mice is related to PI3K/AKT/eNOS signaling pathway. To sum up, cure by using ester or salt of propionic acid weakens brain-related blood circulation in the microvascular system, programmed cell death of the hippocampus and nerve-related malfunction based on a mouse-modeled diabetic disease. Thus, ester or salt of propionic acid, utilized for preserving comestible at present, is potentially advantageous to the amelioration of cognition-related decay entailed by diabetic disease.