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ArticleBiological trace element research2026

Chromium Mitigates the Iron-Induced Glucose Metabolism Disorder via the PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 Signaling Pathway: An In Vivo Study in Wistar Rats.

Haotian Xun, Lu Ma, Boqian Feng, Yunlong Ma, Yu Zhao, Faxuan Wang, Liping Li, Yi Zhao, Ling Fan

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Article in Biological trace element research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Haotian Xun *School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Lu Ma *School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Boqian FengSchool of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Yunlong MaSchool of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Yu ZhaoSchool of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Faxuan WangThe Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control of Ningxia, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Liping LiSchool of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Yi ZhaoThe Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control of Ningxia, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China. zhaoyi751114@hotmail.com.
Ling FanSchool of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China. fanf_200811@163.com.

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Ningxia 2023AAC03236
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Numerous studies have focused on the independent effects of iron and chromium on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, studies on their combined effects remain limited. Therefore, we examined the combined effects of chromium and iron on glucose metabolism using an in vivo Wistar rat model. Male Wistar rats (N = 30) were divided into five groups: control (Ctr), iron excess (IE), and three chromium-treated groups receiving low, medium, or high doses of chromium picolinate (IEC1-3). Rats were fed diets with adequate or excess iron (as iron citrate) and varying doses of chromium for 8 weeks. Glucose metabolism, oxidative stress markers, histopathology of pancreatic tissue, and PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2-related gene and protein expression in pancreatic tissue were evaluated. We observed a significant increase in fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin resistance in the IE group. Iron excess increased serum malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, downregulated phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (p-PI3K), phospho-protein kinase B (p-Akt) proteins, and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and upregulated Bax and cleaved caspase-9 in pancreatic tissue, leading to pancreatic β-cell apoptosis. In contrast, chromium supplementation reversed these effects, improving pancreatic β-cell apoptosis and glucose metabolism. Our findings suggest that chromium may attenuate iron-induced pancreatic β-cell apoptosis and glucose metabolism impairment, potentially by reducing oxidative damage and modulating the PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 signaling pathway. These results highlight a potentially protective role of chromium in the context of iron excess, which could inform future research into nutritional interventions for metabolic disorders. Further studies are warranted to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms and translational applicability.

Indexed as

ChromiumGlucose Metabolism DisordersIronPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktProto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2Signal TransductionAnimalsMaleOxidative StressRatsRats, WistarChromiumIronPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktProto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2ApoptosisChromiumGlucose metabolismIronPancreas

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.