Lorazepam attenuates neuroinflammation by suppressing T cell infiltration in diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a chronic microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus that results in significant pain and severely affects patients’ quality of life. In this context, lorazepam has demonstrated promising pharmacological effects, specifically through its antidepressant and antiepileptic properties, in the management of various diseases. However, the regulatory effects and pathways associated with lorazepam in the progression of DPN remain unclear. In this study, a DPN rat model was successfully established, and further investigations showed a reduction in the exit threshold (g) in DPN rats, which was reversed after lorazepam treatment, indicating that lorazepam can alleviate mechanical allodynia in DPN rats. Additionally, lorazepam treatment reduced inflammation in DPN rats. Furthermore, lorazepam inhibited T cell infiltration in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of DPN rats, and the activated nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathways in DPN rats were suppressed by lorazepam treatment. In conclusion, lorazepam reduced neuroinflammation by inhibiting T cell infiltration, thereby ameliorating DPN. These findings may provide novel insights into the therapeutic potential of lorazepam for the treatment of DPN.

Lorazepam; Neuroinflammation; T cell infiltration; Diabetic peripheral neuropathy

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