Phoenixin-14 protects cardiac damages in a streptozotocin-induced diabetes mice model through SIRT3

Abstract

Background

Type I diabetes is a metabolic syndrome that severely impacts the normal lives of patients through its multiple complications, such as diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Phoenixin-14 is a peptide found to be widely expressed in eukaryons with multiple protective properties, including anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects. The present study aims to explore the potential therapeutic impacts of Phoenixin-14 on DCM.

Methods

Type I diabetes was induced by treatment with a single dose of STZ (40 mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneally for 5 consecutive days. Mice were divided into four groups: the Control, Phoenixin-14, T1DM, and Phoenixin-14 +T1DM groups. The levels of myocardial injury markers were measured. Cardiac hypertrophy was assessed using wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining.

Results

Phoenixin-14 was significantly downregulated in the cardiac tissue of diabetic mice. The myocardial injury and deteriorated cardiac function in diabetic mice induced by STZ were significantly ameliorated by Phoenixin-14, accompanied by the alleviation of cardiac hypertrophy. In addition, the severe oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetic mice were dramatically mitigated by Phoenixin-14. Lastly, the downregulated SIRT3 and upregulated p-FOXO3 in diabetic mice were pronouncedly reversed by Phoenixin-14. It is worth mentioning that compared to the Control, no significant changes to any of the investigated parameters in the present study were found in the Phoenixin-14-treated normal mice, suggesting that treatment with it has no side effects.

Conclusion

Our data revealed that Phoenixin-14 protected against cardiac damages in STZ-induced diabetes mice models.

Keywords:

• Diabetic cardiomyopathy
• cardiac hypertrophy
• Phoenixin-14
• oxidative stress
• SIRT3

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

Bo Yao and Zhao Xu made substantial contributions to the concepts of the study; Bo Yao, Junlin Lv, Le Du, and Hui Zhang made contributions to the methodology, investigation, and data analysis; Zhao Xu drafted the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final submission.

Data availability statement

Experimental data are available based on a reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

This study is funded by “Xi'an Jiaotong University.”