Effect of Chronic Caffeine Administration on Expression Ratio of Bax and Bcl-2 Proteins in Myocardial Tissue of Male Wistar Rats With Type 2 Diabetes

 Some previous studies have shown the protective effect of caffeine on apoptosis through the regulation of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic caffeine administration on the expression ratio of B-cell lymphoma protein 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-Associated X-protein (Bax) proteins in the cardiac tissue of rats with Type 2 Diabetes.

 In this experimental study, samples were 24 male white wistar rats (aged 2-3 months with a weight of 250-300 g) randomly divided into three groups: Healthy control (n=8), untreated diabetic (n=8), and diabetic with caffeine supplement (n=8; 70 mg/kg-1 for 8 weeks, 5 days a week). The expression of proteins associated with apoptotic signaling pathway (Bax and Bcl-2) in the cardiac muscle (left ventricular) was measured by Western blot method. One-Way Variance (ANOVA), t-test, and Tukey’s post hoc test were used for data analysis.

 Induction of type two diabetes significantly increased the expression of Bax protein (1.81±0.2) and decreased the expression of Bcl-2 protein (0.36±0.05) compared to control group (P=0.001). However, caffeine administration increased the expression of Bax protein (131%) compared to diabetic control group (P=0.001). Therefore, caffeine administration after diabetes induction elevated the  Bax/Bcl-2 ratio (P=0.001).

 Eight weeks of caffeine administration have an exacerbating effect on the apoptotic cell death caused by type 2 diabetes by increasing pro-apoptotic proteins and reducing anti-apoptotic proteins.