# Hepato‐Renal Protective Potential of Dimethyl Fumarate in Alloxan‐Induced Diabetic Mice Model by Modulating of Sirt1, Nrf2 and Inflammatory Genes Expressions

**Authors:** Parisa Saberi‐Hasanabadi, Fatemeh Shaki, Mohammad Karami, Abouzar Bagheri, Mohammad Ranaee, Ramin Ataee

PMC · DOI: 10.1002/edm2.70146 · Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism · 2026-02-06

## TL;DR

This study shows that dimethyl fumarate protects the liver and kidneys in diabetic mice by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates DMF's novel hepato-renal protective effects in a diabetic mice model via Sirt1/Nrf2 and inflammatory gene modulation.

## Key findings

- DMF reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α, IL-6, and NF-κB in liver and kidney tissues.
- DMF increased Sirt1 and Nrf2 expression, indicating reduced oxidative stress.
- Histological improvements were observed in DMF-treated diabetic mice.

## Abstract

Despite advances in diabetes treatments, the effects of this disease have not yet been adequately reversed or prevented in patients. Therefore, development of more effective medication‐assisted treatments in this field is needed.

Type 1 diabetes mice models were established using multiple low‐dose alloxan, then were treated with three doses of dimethyl fumarate, that is, low, medium and high viz. 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg, respectively for 21 days. Then, specific tests were done to evaluate blood biochemical parameters, oxidative stress markers, inflammatory genes expression and histopathological changes in the mice kidneys and livers.

Improved anti‐diabetic, hepato‐renal protective and oxidative stress indexes of dimethyl fumarate in diabetic mice were shown. The histological features improved in comparison with diabetic mice. The real‐time PCR results indicated a decrease in the alloxan‐induced elevations in mRNA levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines such as TNF‐α, IL‐6 and NF‐κB levels in both kidney and liver tissues of diabetic mice. Meanwhile, dimethyl fumarate showed an increase in Sirt1 and Nrf2 expression in comparison to the diabetic group.

In total, it can be concluded that dimethyl fumarate treatment provides hepato‐renal protective effects on alloxan‐induced diabetic mice model by attenuating reactive oxygen species inflammatory pathways through modulating Sirt1/Nrf2 and inflammatory genes expressions. This study can be an introduction to further studies on the basis of diabetes treatment, especially clinical studies to demonstrate the effect of dimethyl fumarate in diabetes.

Hepato‐renal protective potential of DMF in alloxan‐induced diabetic mice model.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** SIRT1 (sirtuin 1) [NCBI Gene 23411], GABPA (GA binding protein transcription factor subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 2551], TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124], IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569], NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790]
- **Chemicals:** dimethyl fumarate (PubChem CID 637568), alloxan (PubChem CID 5781)
- **Diseases:** diabetes (MONDO:0005015)
- **Species:** Mus musculus (taxon 10090)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** Sirt1 (sirtuin 1) [NCBI Gene 93759] {aka SIR2L1, Sir2, Sir2a, Sir2alpha}, Nlrp3 (NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3) [NCBI Gene 287362] {aka Cias1}, Nfkb1 (nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells 1, p105) [NCBI Gene 18033] {aka NF-KB1, NF-kappaB, NF-kappaB1, p105, p50, p50/p105}, NLRP3 (NLR family pyrin domain containing 3) [NCBI Gene 114548] {aka AGTAVPRL, AII, AVP, C1orf7, CIAS1, CLR1.1}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, NFE2L2 (NFE2 like bZIP transcription factor 2) [NCBI Gene 4780] {aka IMDDHH, NRF2, Nrf-2}, Il6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 16193] {aka Il-6}, Nfe2l2 (nuclear factor, erythroid derived 2, like 2) [NCBI Gene 18024] {aka Nrf2}, Alb (albumin) [NCBI Gene 11657] {aka Alb-1, Alb1, BCL001, BCL002, BPL001}, Dnase1 (deoxyribonuclease I) [NCBI Gene 13419] {aka DNaseI, Dnl1}, Gapdh (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) [NCBI Gene 14433] {aka Gapd}, Txnip (thioredoxin interacting protein) [NCBI Gene 117514] {aka Vdup1}, Gpt (glutamic pyruvic transaminase, soluble) [NCBI Gene 76282] {aka 1300007J06Rik, 2310022B03Rik, ALT, ALT1, Gpt-1, Gpt1}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}, Tnf (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 21926] {aka DIF, TNF-a, TNF-alpha, TNFSF2, TNFalpha, Tnfa}, SIRT1 (sirtuin 1) [NCBI Gene 23411] {aka SIR2, SIR2L1, SIR2alpha}, NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790] {aka CVID12, EBP-1, KBF1, NF-kB, NF-kB1, NF-kappa-B1}, Slc17a5 (solute carrier family 17 (anion/sugar transporter), member 5) [NCBI Gene 235504] {aka 4631416G20Rik, 4732491M05, AST, ISSD, NSD, SD}, TXNIP (thioredoxin interacting protein) [NCBI Gene 10628] {aka ARRDC6, EST01027, HHCPA78, THIF, VDUP1}
- **Diseases:** diabetic kidney disease (MESH:D003928), liver fibrosis (MESH:D008103), cytotoxic (MESH:D064420), alloxan (MESH:D003921), liver cell damage (MESH:D006528), cancer (MESH:D009369), fibrosis (MESH:D005355), fatigue (MESH:D005221), hepato-renal complications (MESH:D015211), vascular disorders (MESH:D002561), Diabetic kidney failure (MESH:D051437), infections (MESH:D007239), myocardial tissue damage (MESH:D017695), acute kidney disease (MESH:D058186), obesity (MESH:D009765), Inflammatory (MESH:D007249), metabolic disorder (MESH:D008659), hepatic tubules (MESH:D007673), fatty liver (MESH:D005234), cardiac complications (MESH:D006331), glomerular filtration rate (MESH:D007674), vacuolar degeneration (MESH:C536522), necrosis (MESH:D009336), multiple sclerosis (MESH:D009103), blood and lymphatic disorders (MESH:D006425), acute liver failure (MESH:D017114), hepatic injuries (MESH:D056486), vascular remodelling (MESH:D066253), diabetic liver and kidney dysfunction (MESH:C535520), hepatic complications (MESH:D008107), psoriasis (MESH:D011565), vascular complications (MESH:D003925), oedema (MESH:C536897), atherosclerosis (MESH:D050197), Diabetes (MESH:D003920), insulin resistance (MESH:D007333), Chronic hyperglycaemia (MESH:D002908), gastrointestinal AEs (MESH:D005767), glucose (MESH:D018149), Type 1 diabetes (MESH:D003922)
- **Chemicals:** xylene (MESH:D014992), free fatty acids (MESH:D005230), Urea Nitrogen (MESH:C530477), BCG (MESH:D001961), MET (MESH:D008687), Carbonyl (-), Creatinine (MESH:D003404), Glucose (MESH:D005947), Ketamine (MESH:D007649), 5,5'-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid (MESH:D004228), fumaric acid (MESH:C032005), AGEs (MESH:D017127), TRIzol (MESH:C411644), GSH (MESH:D005978), formalin (MESH:D005557), MDA (MESH:D008315), NADPH (MESH:D009249), water (MESH:D014867), Alloxan (MESH:D000496), paraffin (MESH:D010232), 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (MESH:C004787), haematoxylin (MESH:D006416), Blood glucose (MESH:D001786), Xylazine (MESH:D014991), streptozotocin (MESH:D013311), carbohydrate (MESH:D002241), eosin (MESH:D004801), urea (MESH:D014508), H&amp;E (MESH:D006371), sucrose (MESH:D013395), ROS (MESH:D017382), mannitol (MESH:D008353), DMF (MESH:D000069462), EDTA (MESH:D004492), ethanol (MESH:D000431)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116]
- **Mutations:** C-64 C

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## References

29 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12880583/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12880583