title: Mediation of beta-endorphin by isoferulic acid to lower plasma glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: We investigated the mechanism(s) by which isoferulic acid lowers plasma glucose levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ-diabetic rats). In STZ-diabetic rats, isoferulic acid dose dependently lowered plasma glucose concentrations and increased plasma beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (BER). Both of these effects of isoferulic acid were abolished by pretreatment of rats with tamsulosin or 2-[2,6-dimethoxyphenoxyethyl]aminomethyl-1,4-benzodioxane hydrochloride (WB 4101) at doses sufficient to block alpha1-adrenoceptors. Also, isoferulic acid enhanced BER release from isolated rat adrenal medulla in a concentration-dependent manner that could be abolished by treatment with alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonists. Moreover, bilateral adrenalectomy in STZ-diabetic rats eliminated the activities of isoferulic acid, including the plasma glucose-lowering effect and the plasma BER-elevating effect. Naloxone and naloxonazine inhibited the plasma glucose-lowering activity of isoferulic acid at doses sufficient to block opioid mu-receptors. In contrast with the effect in wild-type diabetic mice, isoferulic acid failed to lower plasma glucose levels in opioid mu-receptor knockout diabetic mice. Treatment of STZ-diabetic rats with isoferulic acid three times in 1 day resulted in an increase in the expression of the glucose transporter subtype 4 form in soleus muscle. This effect was blocked by alpha1-adrenoceptor or opioid mu-receptor antagonists. The reduction of elevated mRNA or protein level of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was also impeded in the same groups of STZ-diabetic rats. In conclusion, our results suggest that isoferulic acid may activate alpha1-adrenoceptors to enhance the secretion of beta-endorphin, which can stimulate the opioid mu-receptors to increase glucose use or/and reduce hepatic gluconeogenesis, resulting in a decrease of plasma glucose in STZ-diabetic rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan 70101, Republic of China.
authors.forename: I-Min
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wang-Chuan
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Juei-Tang
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019764:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (ATP) / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000235:genetics; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002934:Cinnamates; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; C495693:Slc2a4 protein, mouse; C495694:Slc2a4 protein, rat; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D019764:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (ATP); C008180:isoferulic acid