Effects of Brassica juncea Seed Extract on Diabetes-Related Gene Expression Profiling of Pancreatic β-Cells in a Rat Model: Relevance to Environmental and Health Safety

Objective The health of pancreatic β cells is known to be under the tight control of several genetic processes, including insulin signaling, regeneration (IGF-1, FOXO-1, JAK-2, STAT-1), and calcium signaling (GRK-2, PIAS-2, CALM-2). These signaling cascades regulate β-cell proliferation, differentiation, and insulin production and secretion and thus have been known to be the key players in diabetes pathogenesis as well as drug targets. This study aimed to elucidate the protective effect of Brassica juncea seed extract and β-cells dietary supplement.Method B juncea seed extract was given to male albino rats with streptozotocin (STZ) -induced diabetes for 42 days. Rats were divided into 5 groups: normal control, diabetic control, glibenclamide, extract and seed supplementation. At the end of study, pancreata were harvested for histopathologic analysis and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction for regeneration, insulin, and calcium signaling pathway genes.Results Histopathologic analysis showed severe pancreatic damage, including β-cell destruction and steatosis, in the diabetic control group, whereas treatment with B juncea extract and supplemented feed preserved pancreatic architecture, with only mild disruptions and improved β-cell morphology. Gene expression analysis revealed significant upregulation of genes (i.e., JAK-2, STAT-1, FOXO-1, IGF-1, GRK-2, PIAS-2, and CALM-2) in the diabetic control group, while treated groups exhibited moderated expression levels, suggesting improved regulation.Conclusions Results indicate that B juncea seeds are nutrient-rich that exhibit promising gene expression–modulating properties.