Biomolecules & Therapeutics

The Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology (한국응용약물학회)
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Sialyllactose Alleviates Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes through Anti-Inflammatory and Metabolic Modulation

  • Phuc Nguyen Tran-Duc (College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Sohyun Sim (Environmental Safety Support Division, Chemical Substances Testing Center) ;
  • Yujin Jin (College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Jeong-Sook Park (College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Lila Kim (GeneChem Inc.) ;
  • Kyung-Sun Heo (College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University)
  • Received : 2025.04.30
  • Accepted : 2025.08.27
  • Published : 2025.11.01
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Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disorder characterized by hyperglycemia, inflammation, and impaired metabolic activities. This study investigated the effects of sialyllactose (SL), a subgroup of human milk oligosaccharides, on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in vivo. Male ICR mice were preadministered SL followed by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ to establish the T1DM model. The evaluation was conducted through biochemical analyses, glucose and insulin tolerance tests, histological assessments, qRT-PCR, and western blotting. We found that SL pretreatment improved body weight, glucose tolerance, and fasting blood glucose levels in mice. SL mitigated STZ-induced organ injury, as evidenced by histological analysis and serum markers of liver, pancreas, kidney, and skeletal muscle damage. SL also improved electrolyte and lipid profiles, indicating its role in metabolism. Notably, SL exhibited strong anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting hepatic TNF-α and MCP-1 mRNA expression and reducing inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression. Taken together, our findings suggest that SL is a promising candidate for DM management based on its beneficial effects on inflammation and metabolic modulation.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by Chungnam National University Research Fund.

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