SUN-657 The Effect of Simvastatin on Glucose Metabolism in Primary Human Muscle Cells

Abstract

Statin use, especially treatment with simvastatin, is associated with impaired insulin secretion and whole-body insulin sensitivity, and increased risk for T2D. Here, we investigated the direct effects of lactone- and acid-forms of simvastatin on glucose metabolism in primary human skeletal muscle cells. Exposure of human myotubes to lactone-form simvastatin for 48 h increased glucose uptake and glucose incorporation into glycogen, whereas the acid-form did not affect glucose uptake and decreased glucose incorporation into glycogen. These metabolic actions were accompanied by changes in insulin signaling, as phosphorylation of AS160 and GSK3β was upregulated with lactone-, but not with acid-form simvastatin. Exposure to both lactone and acid-forms of simvastatin led to a decrease in glycolysis and glycolytic capacity, as well as to a decrease in mitochondrial respiration and ATP production. Collectively these data indicate that lactone- and acid forms of simvastatin exhibit differences such that lactone-form increases, and acid-form impairs glucose incorporation into glycogen. Exposure to either form of simvastatin, however, impairs glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in human skeletal muscle cells.