Thiamine as a putative natural modulator of PPARγ: exploring a nutrient-based approach for type 2 diabetes

The therapeutic targeting of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) for type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains a double-edged sword: while thiazolidinediones are efficacious, their severe side effects necessitate the discovery of safer modulators. We propose a novel nutrient-centred hypothesis that thiamine (vitamin B1), an essential micronutrient, may act as a natural ligand for PPARγ. To investigate this, we adopted a translational approach. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations established that thiamine forms a stable, high-affinity interaction with the PPARγ ligand-binding domain. Functionally, in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, thiamine induced adipogenesis and PPARγ-response element binding with a potency analogous to rosiglitazone, suggesting direct agonistic activity. Corroborating these mechanistic insights at the clinical level, a new meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials demonstrates that high-dose benfotiamine, a synthetic thiamine derivative, significantly improves neuropathic and vascular outcomes in T2D patients. While the contribution of thiamine’s established antioxidant effects to these clinical benefits cannot be ruled out, the synergy of computational, cellular, and human evidence provides a compelling foundation for our hypothesis. This study suggests that thiamine could act as a PPARγ ligand and serve as a safer treatment option for metabolic disorders, which needs to be tested in vivo.