International Journal of Molecular Medical Science, 2025, Vol.15, No.2, 80-88 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/ijmms 83 3.3 Anti-inflammatory properties Having low-level inflammation for a long time is common in people with pre-diabetes. These people usually have high levels of certain proteins, like IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. These proteins can make it harder for insulin to do its job (Qiao et al., 2020). YPs have been found to bring down these protein levels and help calm the inflammation. One reason YPs work is that they block the NF-κB pathway. This pathway controls inflammation. In animal studies, YPs helped lower inflammation by reducing certain immune cell activities. They also lowered P-selectin, a sign of inflammation in blood vessels (Jiang et al., 2015). YPs also help lessen swelling in fat areas. They lower the amount of leptin and MMP-3, which are linked to trouble with insulin use (Cheng et al., 2019). By doing this, YPs might help the body use insulin better and keep blood sugar under control more easily. 3.4 Lipid metabolism modulation People with pre-diabetes often have too much fat in their blood. Their cholesterol and triglyceride levels may be too high. YPs seem to help fix this. They lower total cholesterol (TC) and bad LDL levels and raise good HDL levels. This may help lower the risk of heart disease (Cheng et al., 2019). YPs may do this by helping the body use fats better. They affect enzymes and block signals that make the body store fat, like SREBP-1c. In addition to this, YPs can stop fat from building up in the liver. That helps prevent fatty liver, which often appears with insulin resistance (Li et al., 2017). Less liver fat means better liver health and better sugar control. By helping with blood sugar, inflammation, oxidative stress, and fat balance, YPs may be a natural way to support people who are at risk of developing diabetes. 4 Molecular Mechanisms of Yam Polysaccharides in Pre-Diabetes Intervention 4.1 AMPK activation pathway AMPK is a kind of protein that helps the body keep energy steady. When it gets switched on, it helps the body use sugar in a better way. It also helps lower problems with insulin use. This is very useful for people who are close to getting diabetes. YPs, which come from yams, can turn on AMPK and help bring down blood sugar (Xu et al., 2021). Once AMPK is working, it helps cells take in more sugar and burn more fat. It also tells the liver to stop making too much sugar. In the muscles, AMPK helps move sugar into the cells and store it as glycogen. This helps keep blood sugar from going too high and makes the body respond better to insulin (Cao et al., 2019). YPs also stop the liver from making too much fat. That’s helpful because too much liver fat is common in people with pre-diabetes (Zhou et al., 2020). 4.2 PI3K/Akt signaling and GLUT4 translocation Another way the body moves sugar into cells is through the PI3K/Akt pathway. When insulin works properly, it turns on PI3K, which then turns on Akt. Akt helps move a protein called GLUT4 to the edge of the cell, letting sugar in. YPs can help start this pathway. They make PI3K and Akt work more effectively (Feng et al., 2022). In tests with animals, YPs also helped cells produce more GLUT4. GLUT4 is a protein that helps move sugar into cells (Xiao et al., 2022). When there is more GLUT4, more sugar enters the cells. This helps bring down blood sugar and makes the body react to insulin better. YPs may also help the body store more sugar as glycogen in the liver and muscles by turning on glycogen-making enzymes. This can be a good way to keep blood sugar stable (Le et al., 2021). 4.3 Influence on gut microbiota Gut bacteria are important for health. They help with sugar control, lower inflammation, and make the body respond better to insulin. New research shows that YPs can help good gut bacteria grow. YPs act like food for good bacteria, like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. These bacteria make short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such
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