PUBLICATION

Dietary nisin exacerbates diabetic vascular complications through gut microbiota modulation and NF-κB signaling

Authors
Liu, L., Huang, Y., Xu, H., Sun, Y., Xu, Z.Z., Huang, X.
ID
ZDB-PUB-260129-28
Date
2026
Source
Ecotoxicology and environmental safety   309: 119638119638 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
Diabetic vascular complications, Gut microbiota, Inflammation, NF-κB, Nisin, Oxidative stress, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Diabetic Angiopathies*/chemically induced
  • Dysbiosis/chemically induced
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*/drug effects
  • NF-kappa B*/metabolism
  • Nisin*/adverse effects
  • Nisin*/toxicity
  • Oxidative Stress/drug effects
  • Signal Transduction/drug effects
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
41601065 Full text @ Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.
Abstract
Diabetic vascular complications (DVCs) are a major cause of morbidity in diabetes, with gut microbiota dysbiosis emerging as an important contributor. This study investigates the impact of nisin, a widely used food preservative, on DVCs using a zebrafish model. We found that nisin exacerbates diabetic vascular pathology in zebrafish through gut microbiota-dependent mechanisms. Nisin treatment induced dysbiosis with enrichment of Gram-negative pathogens and intestinal barrier disruption. Concurrently, it elevated systemic oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines, accompanied by NF-κB pathway activation. Germ-free zebrafish experiments confirmed the gut microbiota's essential role in nisin-induced vascular injury. Pharmacological inhibition of NF-κB reversed nisin's effects, restoring endothelial function and hemodynamics. Our findings reveal a previously unrecognized risk of nisin consumption in diabetic individuals and highlight the gut-vascular axis as a therapeutic target for DVCs.
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