What this means
Mice with diabetes that got daily humanin for 15 days had less stress, inflammation, and cell death in the heart. This was tested in mice only, so it does not show the same would happen in people.
Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the abstract. The original is below.
- Who it was tested in
- 40 mice, split into four groups of 10
- Kind of research
- A study
The science
- Original title
- Repeated Humanin Treatment Attenuates Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis in Diabetic Cardiac Tissue.
- Authors
- Bulut F, Adam M, Hekim MG et al.
- Journal
- Biology
- Published
- Jul 15, 2026
- Study type
- Study
- PMID
- 42450608 ↗
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) markedly increases the risk of cardiovascular complications through mechanisms involving hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Humanin (HN), a mitochondria-derived peptide with established cytoprotective properties, has been reported to exert antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects in several experimental models. However, its role in diabetic cardiac injury remains insufficiently understood. The present study investigated the protective effects of repeated HN treatment against diabetes-induced cardiac injury in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced mouse model. Mice were divided into four groups: control, HN-treated, STZ-induced diabetic, and STZ + HN-treated groups (n = 10/group). HN (4 mg/kg) was administered daily for 15 consecutive days. Biochemical analyses were performed to evaluate oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and apoptotic markers. STZ-induced diabetes significantly increased oxidative stress markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and apoptotic activity while reducing antioxidant defenses and anti-inflammatory cytokines compared with controls. Repeated HN treatment markedly attenuated these alterations and restored redox and inflammatory balance in diabetic cardiac tissue. These findings demonstrate that repeated HN treatment attenuates oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in the hearts of diabetic mice. The results further suggest that HN may represent a promising therapeutic candidate for limiting diabetes-associated cardiac complications.
Bulut F, Adam M, Hekim MG et al. Repeated Humanin Treatment Attenuates Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis in Diabetic Cardiac Tissue. Biology. 2026. doi:10.3390/biology15131060. PMID: 42450608. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42450608/
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