title: GABA tea prevents cardiac fibrosis by attenuating TNF-alpha and Fas/FasL-mediated apoptosis in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: GABA tea is a tea product that contains a high level of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This study investigated the effects of GABA tea on the heart in a diabetic rat model. Male Wistar rats were injected with 55mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) to induce diabetes for 2weeks and then orally given dosages of 4.55 and 45.5mg/kg/day GABA tea extract for 6weeks. The results revealed that fasting blood glucose levels returned to normal levels in GABA tea-treated diabetic rats, but not in the untreated diabetic rats. Additionally, GABA tea effectively inhibited cardiac fibrosis induced by STZ. Further experiments showed that the STZ-induced protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Fas, activated caspase-8 and caspase-3 were significantly inhibited by the GABA tea treatment. Therefore, our data suggest that the inhibiting effect of GABA tea on STZ-induced cardiac fibrosis in diabetic rats may be mediated by reducing blood glucose and further attenuating TNF-alpha expression and/or Fas/Fas ligand (FasL)-mediated apoptosis. These findings will provide implications for the potential anti-diabetic properties of GABA tea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotecnology, Hungkuang University, Taichung 43302, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shur-Hueih
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cherng
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Graduate Programs of Biomedical Nutrition, Hungkuang University, Taichung 43302, Taiwan; Department of Nutrition, Chung-Kang Branch, Cheng Ching Hospital, Taichung 40764, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shue-Er
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Graduate Programs of Biomedical Nutrition, Hungkuang University, Taichung 43302, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50094, Taiwan; Department of Medical Technology, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli 35664, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yueh-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fuu-Jen
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Graduate Programs of Biomedical Nutrition, Hungkuang University, Taichung 43302, Taiwan. Electronic address: fang54@hk.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Hsueh-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000502:physiology*; D005355:Fibrosis; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013311:Streptozocin; D013662:Tea; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D013662:Tea; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019014:fas Receptor; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D013311:Streptozocin
keywords: Diabetes; Fas; GABA tea; Heart; TNF-alpha