Protective effect of resveratrol against inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis in pancreas of aged SAMP8 mice

Aging is a physiological state in which a progressive decline in organ functions is accompanied by the development of age-related diseases. Resveratrol supplementation has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in various mammalian models of aging. Senescence-accelerated mice (SAM) are commonly used as animal models to investigate the aging process. In the present study, the effects of inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis in pancreas of two different types of SAM (SAMR1 or resistant to aging, and SAMP8 or prone to aging) have been analysed, as well as the effect of resveratrol administration (5 mg/kg/day) on these parameters in the SAMP8 strain. mRNA expressions of sirtuin 1 and FoxO factors were found to be decreased with aging in SAMP8 mice. An increase in inflammatory status and nuclear-factor kappa B (NFκB) protein expression was also observed in old mice, together with a decrease of anti-apoptotic markers and antioxidant-enzyme activity. Resveratrol administration was able to increase sirtuin 1 mRNA expression, as well as decreasing NFκB expression and reducing the proinflammatory and prooxidant status associated with age. In conclusion, resveratrol was able to modulate the inflammatory, oxidative and apoptotic status related to aging, thereby exerting a protective effect on pancreas age-induced damage.