The effect of Hydroxytyrosol on Spexin immunoreactivity in pancreatic islets and serum insulin levels in a Streptozotocin-induced experimental diabetes model in rats

Abstract

Diabetes (DM), a major health problem worldwide, is associated with the loss of β cells in the pancreatic islets and decreased insulin secretion. Hydroxytyrosol (HxT) is a phenol found in high concentrations in olive oil. Spexin (SPX) plays a role in regulating many metabolisms such as glucose and energy. This study aimed to determine the effects of HxT on circulating insulin levels, histopathological changes in pancreatic islets, and SPX immunoreactivity in a Streptozotocin-induced experimental diabetes model (eDM) in rats. The 32 male rats used in the study were randomly divided into 4 groups (n: 8): Control, eDM, eDM+HxT, and HxT. After completing all applications in the experiment, the blood and pancreas tissues of the sacrificed rats were taken. Insulin levels were determined from the serum samples obtained. Histopathological changes and SPX immunoreactivities were evaluated in pancreatic tissues. While serum insulin levels decreased in eDM, histopathological changes in pancreatic islets increased. Additionally, SPX immunoreactivity in pancreatic islets was significantly reduced in eDM. On the other hand, HxT supplementation (eDM+HxT group) regulated eDM-related adverse effects. While HxT supplementation may have a curative and therapeutic effect in DM, it was concluded that SPX may be effective in regulating the endocrine functions of the pancreas.