Oral Lactobacillus reuteri GMN-32 treatment reduces blood glucose concentrations and promotes cardiac function in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Impaired regulation of blood glucose levels in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients and the associated elevation of blood glucose levels are known to increase the risk of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC). In the present study, a probiotic bacterium, Lactobacillus reuteri GMN-32, was evaluated for its potential to reduce blood glucose levels and to provide protection against DC risks in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DM rats. The blood glucose levels of the STZ-induced DM rats when treated with L. reuteri GMN-32 decreased from 4480 to 3620 mg/l (with 10 7 colony-forming units (cfu)/d) and 3040 mg/l (with 10 9 cfu/d). Probiotic treatment also reduced the changes in the heart caused by the effects of DM. Furthermore, the Fas/Fas-associated protein with death domain pathway-induced caspase 8-mediated apoptosis that was observed in the cardiomyocytes of the STZ-induced DM rats was also found to be controlled in the probiotic-treated rats. The results highlight that L. reuteri GMN-32 treatment reduces blood glucose levels, inhibits caspase 8-mediated apoptosis and promotes cardiac function in DM rats as observed from their ejection fraction and fractional shortening values. In conclusion, the administration of L. reuteri GMN-32 probiotics can regulate blood glucose levels, protect cardiomyocytes and prevent DC in DM rats.

Influence of GABA and GABA-producing Lactobacillus brevis DPC 6108 on the development of diabetes in a streptozotocin rat model

“…Davari et al (2013) and Lin et al (2014) reported a significant de crease in glucose levels inanimals receiving a probiotic mix containing Lactobacillusacidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillusfermentum and Lactobacillus reuteri, respectively,compared with diabetic controls, as was seen in this study. Tabuchi et al (2003) and Yadav et al (2008) observed animprovement in glucose tolerance following Lactobacillusrhamnosus GG, L. acidophilus and Lactobacillus caseisupplementation, whereas Zarfeshani et al (2011) foundno significant differences in blood glucose levels followingL.…”

Probiotics as beneficial agents in the management of diabetes mellitus: a systematic review

“…Ultimately, 33 articles were included in the final analysis, consisting of five human and 28 animal reports . Information on human and animal studies in relation to methodological quality, characteristics of participants, interventions and outcome measures are summarized in Tables and .…”

“…Twelve animal reports of the selected articles assessed plasma and serum glucose levels without obtaining fasting or postprandial glucose measurements. Six of them reported significant reduction in plasma glucose levels after probiotic interventions , which conducted over 2 , four , 8 and 12 weeks of interventions.…”

Lactobacillus reuteri reduces bone loss in older women with low bone mineral density: a randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind, clinical trial

“…However, L. reuteri 6475 treatment did not significantly affect the levels of inflammation markers (TNF‐α and hsCRP) in this trial. Other strains of L. reuteri have also been reported to reduce blood glucose levels in diabetic mice , and prevent obesity in a mouse model of the metabolic syndrome . Many studies have pointed to an association between gut microbiota and systemic metabolism , but in the present study, treatment with L. reuteri 6475 had no significant effect on HbA1c or body composition.…”