Passiflora incarnata extract-induced VEGF and TGF-β1 mRNA expression in the cardiovascular system using the rat model of type 2 diabetes

Anna Wesołowska; Marcin Ożarowski; Przemysław Ł. Mikołajczak; Agnieszka Stelmaszyk; Anna Maliszewska-Dworacka; Saule Iskakova; Bartosz A. Frycz; Paweł P. Jagodziński; Marzena Dworacka

doi:10.20883/medical.e1443

Authors

Anna Wesołowska Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Poznań, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5029-2265
Marcin Ożarowski Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants – National Research Institute, Department of Biotechnology, Poznań, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5881-2966
Przemysław Ł. Mikołajczak Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Poznań, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1252-6523
Agnieszka Stelmaszyk Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Poznań, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6091-8751
Anna Maliszewska-Dworacka Collegium Da Vinci, Poznań, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2044-399X
Saule Iskakova Kazakh National Medical University, Department of Pharmacology, Almaty, Kazakhstan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7624-1570
Bartosz A. Frycz Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Poznań, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6729-1832
Paweł P. Jagodziński Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Poznań, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9046-6802
Marzena Dworacka Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Poznań, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4277-0615

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20883/medical.e1443

Keywords:

Passiflora incarnata, vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, transforming growth factor β1, type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Aim. To investigate the possible effects of Passiflora extract on VEGF and TGF-β1 mRNA expression – growth factors closely related to the development of diabetes in the cardiovascular system.

Material and methods. The animal model of type 2 diabetes, rich-fat/STZ Wistar rats, was used. Animals were randomised into four groups: Passiflora-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus model group; metformin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus model group; placebo-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus model group; and placebo-treated non-diabetic control group. Passiflora incarnata leaf extract was administered orally once daily for eight consecutive weeks. mRNA VEGF, VEGF-R1, VEGF-R2 and TGF-β1 expression were measured in the myocardium and the aorta.

Results. Passiflora incarnata extract increases VEGF and VEGFR2 mRNA expression in the myocardium of rats with type 2 diabetes and decreases expression in the aortal wall. The expression of TGF-β1 mRNA in both the myocardium and the aorta is reduced in Passiflora incarnata-treated rats with diabetes. Most observed effects are independent of the animals' current metabolic status.

Conclusions. The current data provide novel findings on the beneficial effects of Passiflora extract on the myocardium in the context of type 2 diabetes, potentially through mechanisms involving VEGF and TGF-β1. However, the significance of the impact of Passiflora extract on the aorta wall via VEGF and TGF-β1 is uncertain.

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