Insights into the cellular, molecular, and epigenetic targets of gamma-aminobutyric acid against diabetes: a comprehensive review on its mechanisms

AbstractDiabetes is a metabolic disease due to impaired or defective insulin secretion and is considered one of the most serious chronic diseases worldwide. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a naturally occurring non-protein amino acid commonly present in a wide range of foods. A number of studies documented that GABA has good anti-diabetic potential. This review summarized the available dietary sources of GABA as well as animal and human studies on the anti-diabetic properties of GABA, while also discussing the underlying mechanisms. GABA may modulate diabetes through various pathways such as inhibiting the activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, promoting β-cell proliferation, stimulating insulin secretion from β-cells, inhibiting glucagon secretion from α-cells, improving insulin resistance and glucose tolerance, and increasing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, further mechanistic studies on animals and human are needed to confirm the therapeutic effects of GABA against diabetes.Keywords: Gamma-aminobutyric aciddiabetesβ-cellsinsulinanti-inflammatory activity Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.Additional informationFundingThis study was supported by the Jiangsu Specially-Appointed Professor Program (19TPJS-002) and Senior Talent Startup Fund of Jiangsu University (4111360002) to X. Chen.