AUTHOR=Qian Rengcheng , Chen Huihui , Lin Hongzhou , Jiang Yalan , He Pingping , Ding Yinjuan , Wu Huilan , Peng Yongmiao , Wang Lingfei , Chen Congde , Wang Dexuan , Ji Weiping , Guo Xiaoling , Shan Xiaoou 

TITLE=The protective roles of allicin on type 1 diabetes mellitus through AMPK/mTOR mediated autophagy pathway

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1108730

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2023.1108730

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the most common endocrine and metabolic diseases in children. Pancreatic β cells are thought to be critical cells involved in the progression of T1DM, and their injury would directly lead to impaired insulin secretion.</p><p><bold>Purpose:</bold> To investigate the protective effects of allicin on pancreatic β cell injury and elucidate the underlying mechanism.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> The streptozotocin (STZ)-induced mouse T1DM model <italic>in vivo</italic> and STZ-induced pancreatic β cell Min6 model in vitro were used to explore the effects of allicin on T1DM. The experiments include fasting blood glucose test, oral glucose tolerance detection, HE staining, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, TUNEL staining, western blot, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and flow cytometry.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Allicin could significantly decrease blood glucose level, improve islet structure and insulin expression, and inhibit apoptosis to reduce STZ-induced pancreatic β cell injury and loss through activating AMPK/mTOR mediated autophagy pathway.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Allicin treatment significantly reduced STZ-induced T1DM progression, suggesting that allicin may be a potential therapy option for T1DM patients.</p>