title: Effects of D-Pinitol on Insulin Resistance through the PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rats.
abstract: D-pinitol, a compound isolated from Pinaceae and Leguminosae plants, has been reported to possess insulin-like properties. Although the hypoglycemic activity of D-pinitol was recognized in recent years, the molecular mechanism of D-pinitol in the treatment of diabetes mellitus remains unclear. In this investigation, a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with insulin resistance was established by feeding a high-fat diet (HFD) and injecting streptozocin (STZ) to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, targeting the exploration of more details of the mechanism in the therapy of T2DM. D-pinitol was administrated to the diabetic rats as two doses [30, 60 mg/(kg·body weight·day)]. The level of fasting blood glucose (FBG) was decreased 12.63% in the high-dosage group, and the ability of oral glucose tolerance was improved in D-pinitol-treated groups. The biochemical indices revealed that D-pinitol had a positive effect on hypoglycemic activity. Western boltting suggested that D-pinitol could promote the expression of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) p85, PI3Kp110, as well as the downstream target protein kinase B/Akt (at Ser473). Besides, D-pinitol inhibited the expression of glycogen synthesis kinase-3β (GSK-3β) protein and regulated the expression of glycogen synthesis (GS) protein and then accelerated the glycogen synthesis. Above all, D-pinitol played a positive role in regulating insulin-mediated glucose uptake in the liver through translocation and activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in T2DM rats.
authors.forename: Yunfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Mengna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tianchen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Mengying
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Haonan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Zesheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007294:Inositol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D058539:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D028201:Pinaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D010936:Plant Extracts; C021730:pinitol; D007294:Inositol; D058539:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3
keywords: PI3K/Akt signaling pathway; d-pinitol; diabetes mellitus