Spirulina Extract Enhanced a Protective Effect in Type 1 Diabetes by Anti-Apoptosis and Anti-ROS Production

Abstract

Interest in the nutritional value and pharmacological activities of blue-green algae has gradually increased. Spirulina extracts show protective effects against apoptosis and inflammatory damage in various cell types. Here, we investigated the protective effects of extracts from Spirulina maxima in a cytokine-mediated type 1 diabetes model in vitro and in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats in vivo. Interleukin-1β and interferon-gamma induced substantial cytotoxicity to RINm5F rat insulinoma cells, increasing nitric oxide (NO) production, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activity, the expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress genes, and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and key genes related apoptosis. However, the cytotoxicity of cytokines was significantly attenuated by Spirulina extract, which effectively prevented NO production by inhibiting the synthesis of cytokine-activated NO synthase (iNOS), and apoptosis was suppressed. These results suggest that Spirulina extract might be effective to preserve the viability and function of pancreatic β-cells against cytotoxic conditions. Moreover, diabetic mice orally administered Spirulina extract showed decreased glucose levels, increased insulin, and improvement in liver enzyme markers. The antioxidant effect of Spirulina extract may be helpful in treating type 1 diabetes by enhancing the survival, and reducing or delaying cytokine-mediated β-cells destruction.

<i>Spirulina platensis</i> Alleviates the Liver, Brain and Heart Oxidative Stress in Type 1 Diabetic Rats

“…The reduction of nitrite production in different tissues such as brain, heart and liver in our study could be considered an important factor of protection against oxidative damage to DNA, indicating its important protective effect against STZ-induced damage and these results are corroborated by numerous researchers who have studied the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of SPI [35] [36] [37]. Many of the studies investigating the antioxidant effect of SPI have attributed this property to phycocyanin since this phycobilin pigment has radical scavenging properties, noting that some of these reports have also shown that phycocyanin directly inhibits NAD(P)H oxidase activity [38] [39] and that NAD(P)H oxidases may be the main source of ROS in the tissues of diabetic animals and patients [40] [41].…”

Crude protein from spirulina increases the viability of CCD‑986sk cells via the EGFR/MAPK signaling pathway

“…The two bands were analyzed by Q-TOF MS/MS. The results revealed that the 20 kDa band didn't correspond to any known protein while the ~16 kDa protein band was C-phycocyanin α chain, which has many pharmacological benefits (34). To investigate the effects of SPCP on the viability of CCD-986sk cells, an MTS assay on cells treated with various doses of SPCP was performed.…”

Protective Action of Ostreococcus Tauri and Phaeodactylum Tricornutum Extracts towards Benzo[a]Pyrene-Induced Cytotoxicity in Endothelial Cells

“…However, the OT extract at 5 µg/mL did not affect the increased IL1-β mRNA transcription induced by 2 µM B[a]P. These results showed that the microalgal extracts could inhibit the gene expression of several pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by B[a]P in endothelial cells. [59,60], and it is also known that microalgal extracts can inhibit apoptosis in cancerous cells [61], we therefore decided to evaluate apoptosis after exposure for 24 h to B[a]P or microalgal extracts (0.1 and 5 µg/mL) alone or in co-exposure. This was performed by using fluorescence microscopy after Hoechst staining ( Figure 5).…”