Tetramethylpyrazine attenuates placental oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and endoplasmic reticulum stress in a mouse model of gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a disease characterized by insufficient insulin secretion and glucose metabolic disorder during pregnancy. Tetramethylpyrazine has been reported to inhibit endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and high glucose-induced inflammation, which are closely associated with GDM. This study aimed to investigate the effects of tetramethylpyrazine on inflammatory responses, ER stress and oxidative stress of the placenta in a mouse model of GDM. Our results showed that tetramethylpyrazine treatment significantly alleviated the GDM symptoms characterized by low body weight and serum insulin levels, high blood glucose, and decreased β-cell function in pregnant C57BL/KsJdb/+ mice. In addition, tetramethylpyrazine reduced the level of malondialdehyde, and increased the levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione. Moreover, tetramethylpyrazine decreased the total serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, and serum low-density lipoprotein levels and increased the high-density lipoprotein level. Further, tetramethylpyrazine regulated the levels of serum and placental inflammatory factors and the expression of ER stress related proteins. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that tetramethylpyrazine attenuated placental oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and ER stress in GDM mice.