Effect of Propionic Acid on Diabetes-Induced Impairment of Unfolded Protein Response Signaling and Astrocyte/Microglia Crosstalk in Rat Ventromedial Nucleus of the Hypothalamus

Figure 1

Schematic representation of the experimental design and timescale. Each experimental group included 12 animals: (1) the control group; (2) the group with experimentally induced T2DM; (3) the group that received antihyperglycemic agent metformin (GLUKOFAGE, Merck Sante, France) at a dose 60 mg/kg of b.w., for 14 days, orally on the background of T2DM; (4) the group that received sodium salt of propionic acid (PROPICUM®, Flexopharm Brain GmbH & Co, Germany) at a dose 60 mg/kg of b.w., for 14 days, orally on the background of T2DM; and (5) the group that received concurrent metformin (60 mg/kg of b.w., for 14 days, orally) and sodium salt of propionic acid (60 mg/kg of b.w., for 14 days, orally) on the background of T2DM. T2DM was developed after 3 months of high-fat diet (HFD) with the following single injection of STZ (25 mg/kg of b.w.) according to the protocol [25].