Effects of CBD on the Phosphorylation of Cardiac Insulin Receptor in Rat Model of Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) comprises a cluster of conditions that include obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, pro-inflammation, and pro-thrombosis. In the United States, approximately one in three adults is afflicted with MetS. If left unmanaged, it can lead to type 2 diabetes (T2D), which would increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The insulin signaling pathway is critical to regulate glucose homeostasis in the body. During insulin resistance, the pathway is downregulated, and glucose remains in the bloodstream leading to a hyperglycemic state. Recent studies on the benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) have shown it can mitigate CVD risk factors, but its impact on glucose metabolism within the heart remains unclear. To investigate this, the Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat, a model of MetS, and its healthy strain-control, the Long Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rat, were used. Rats were assigned to three groups (n=8/group): (1) untreated LETO, (2) untreated OLETF, and (3) OLETF + H4CBD (200mg/kg/day x 4 weeks). CBD treatment did not impact the nascent insulin receptor nor the nascent protein kinase B, but the effects of CBD on the phosphorylation and activation of these insulin signaling components have yet to be determined (analyses ongoing). Because CBD has been shown to improve glucose homeostasis previously, we anticipate it is by increasing the activation by phosphorylation of the insulin receptor. A better examination of the effects of CBD on the insulin signaling pathway in the heart will provide greater insight on its therapeutic potential during diabetic cardiomyopathy. USDA Hispanic Education Training Program, Center for Medical Cannabis Research. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.