How does l-theanine treatment affect the levels of serum and hippocampal BDNF, insulin and adipocytokines in diabetic rats?

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2023-07, Vol.667, p.95-103
• Main Authors: Hajizadeh Tekmeh, Hamed, Vanizor Kural, Birgul, Kör, Sevil, Arıkan Malkoç, Meltem, Yuluğ, Esin, Kutlu, Abdulkadir, Abidin, İsmail, Orem, Asım
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipocytokine; adiponectin; antidepressants; blood glucose; blood serum; Diabetes; diabetes mellitus; Hippocampus; histopathology; Insulin; l-theanine; leptin; males; nicotinamide; resistin; streptozotocin
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.05.039

Diabetes Mellitus (DM), a metabolic disease characterized by the increased blood glucose level, insulin deficiency or ineffectiveness, may cause structural and functional disorders in the brain. l-Theanine (LTN) has the relaxing, psychoactive, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and antinecrotic properties, and regulates the functions of hippocampus (HP) in brain. In the present study, the aim was to identify the effects LTN on the levels of BDNF, insulin and adipocytokines (TNF-α, leptin, adiponectin and resistin) in both HP and serum of diabetic rats. 32 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 8/group): Control, LTN, DM and DM + LTN. Diabetes was induced by by nicotinamide/streptozotocin. 200 mg/kg/day LTN treatment was applied for 28 days. The serum and hippocampal levels of the parameters were determined by using commercial ELISA kits. Additionally, HP tissues examined histopathologically. LTN treatment significantly decreased leptin and adiponectin levels in HP tissues in diabetic rats (p  0.05). In histopathological analysis, although the damage was reduced by LTN in all sections of HP, this change was significant mainly in CA3 region (p