title: Thymoquinone Alleviates the Experimental Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy by Modulation of Inflammation.
abstract: Thymoquinone has been reported to exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation plays an important role in pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This study investigated the effects of TQ on proliferation and apoptosis of Schwann cells exposed to high glucose conditions and electrophysiological and morphological changes of the sciatic nerve in a DPN rat model as well as relevant inflammatory mechanism. Cell proliferation and apoptosis of Schwann cells were measured using the Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry. DPN model was established in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Nerve conduction velocity was measured before and after treatment. Morphologic changes were observed by H&E staining and transmission electron microscopy. COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, and Caspase-3 expression was investigated by western blotting and Bio-Plex Pro(TM) Assays. Finally, TQ alleviated the inhibition of Schwann cell proliferation and protected against Schwann cell apoptosis. It improved nerve conduction velocity, and alleviated the DPN-induced morphological changes and demyelination of the sciatic nerve. COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6 and Caspase-3 expression in sciatic nerve or isolated cultured Schwann cells, were also decreased by TQ. These results indicate TQ has a protective effect on peripheral nerves in a DPN rat model. The mechanism may be mediated partly by the modulation of the inflammatory reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, P. R. China.|Department of Neurology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Center Laboratory, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, P. R.China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, P. R.China.
authors.forename: Biqin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, P. R. China.|Department of Neurology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yiye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, P. R. China.|Department of Neurology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, P. R.China.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, P. R. China.|Department of Neurology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yinghui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D016227:Benzoquinones; C000594089:IL1B protein, rat; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C489691:Ptgs2 protein, rat; C003466:thymoquinone