Insulin Signaling In Skeletal Muscle Research Articles

Acute exercise increases insulin sensitivity in adult sheep: a new preclinical model.

In healthy humans and rodents, chronic and acute exercise improves subsequent insulin sensitivity of skeletal muscle. A large animal species with similar metabolic responses to exercise would permit longitudinal studies, including repeated biopsies of muscle and other tissues not possible in rodents, and enable study of interactions with insulin-resistant physiological states not feasible in humans. Therefore, we examined whether acute exercise increases insulin sensitivity in adult sheep. Insulin sensitivity was measured by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (HEC) in mature female sheep (n = 7). Sheep were familiarized to treadmill walking and then performed an acute exercise bout (30 min, 8% slope, up to 4.4 km/h). A second HEC was conducted ∼18 h after the acute exercise. Musculus semimembranosus biopsies were obtained before and after each HEC. Glucose infusion rate during the HEC increased 40% (P = 0.003) and insulin sensitivity (glucose infusion rate/plasma insulin concentration) increased 32% (P = 0.028) after acute exercise. Activation of proximal insulin signaling in skeletal muscle after the HEC, measured as Ser(473) phosphorylation of Akt, increased approximately five-fold in response to insulin (P < 0.001) and was unaltered by acute exercise performed 18 h earlier. PGC1α and GLUT4 protein, glycogen content and citrate synthase activity in skeletal muscle did not change in response to insulin or exercise. In conclusion, improved insulin sensitivity and unchanged proximal insulin signaling on the day after acute exercise in sheep are consistent with responses in humans and rodents, suggesting that the sheep is an appropriate large-animal model in which to study responses to exercise.

Dietary approaches to stop hypertension influence on insulin receptor substrate-1gene expression: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background:Insulin receptor substrate (IRS) Type 1 is a main substrate for the insulin receptor, controls insulin signaling in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and the vascular, so it is an important candidate gene for insulin resistance (IR). We aimed to compare the effects of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and Usual Dietary Advices (UDA) on IRS1 gene expression in women at risk for cardiovascular disease.Materials and Methods:A randomized controlled clinical trial was performed in 44 women at risk for cardiovascular disease. Participants were randomly assigned to a UDA diet or the DASH diet. The DASH diet was rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products and low in saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol, refined grains, and sweets, with a total of 2400 mg/day sodium. The UDA diet was a regular diet with healthy dietary advice. Gene expression was assessed by the real-time polymerase chain reaction at the first of study and after 12 weeks. Independent sample t-test and paired-samples t-test were used to compare means of all variables within and between two groups respectively.Results:IRS1 gene expression was increased in DASH group compared with UDA diet (P = 0.00). Weight and waist circumference decreased in DASH group significantly compared to the UDA group (P < 0.05) but the results between the two groups showed no significant difference.Conclusion:DASH diet increased IRS1 gene expression and probably has beneficial effects on IR risks.

Improvement of insulin signaling in myoblast cells by an addition of SKIP-binding peptide within Pak1 kinase domain

Abnormalities in insulin-induced glucose incorporation in skeletal muscle were observed in Type 2 diabetes. Our previous studies revealed that the binding between skeletal muscle and kidney-enriched inositol polyphosphate phosphatase (SKIP) and p21-activated protein kinase (Pak1) at the plasma membrane is induced insulin-dependently and that this binding mediated a rapid and efficient termination of insulin signaling and a subsequent glucose uptake into skeletal muscle cells. Here, we identified 11-amino-acids peptide within kinase domain of Pak1, necessary and sufficient for SKIP binding. Expression of this region in C2C12 cells resulted in an increase in insulin signaling. Supplementation of a synthetic peptide of this sequence increased insulin signaling and insulin-induced glucose uptake into skeletal muscle cell lines. These findings suggest the physiological role of Pak1–SKIP binding in the regulation of insulin signaling in skeletal muscle.

Increased skeletal muscle capillarization enhances insulin sensitivity.

Increased skeletal muscle capillarization is associated with improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. However, a possible causal relationship has not previously been identified. Therefore, we investigated whether increased skeletal muscle capillarization increases insulin sensitivity. Skeletal muscle-specific angiogenesis was induced by adding the α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin to the drinking water of Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 33), whereas 34 rats served as controls. Insulin sensitivity was measured ≥40 h after termination of the 3-wk prazosin treatment, which ensured that prazosin was cleared from the blood stream. Whole body insulin sensitivity was measured in conscious, unrestrained rats by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. Tissue-specific insulin sensitivity was assessed by administration of 2-deoxy-[(3)H]glucose during the plateau phase of the clamp. Whole body insulin sensitivity increased by ∼24%, and insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle 2-deoxy-[(3)H]glucose disposal increased by ∼30% concomitant with an ∼20% increase in skeletal muscle capillarization. Adipose tissue insulin sensitivity was not affected by the treatment. Insulin-stimulated muscle glucose uptake was enhanced independent of improvements in skeletal muscle insulin signaling to glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis, suggesting that the improvement in insulin-stimulated muscle glucose uptake could be due to improved diffusion conditions for glucose in the muscle. The prazosin treatment did not affect the rats on any other parameters measured. We conclude that an increase in skeletal muscle capillarization is associated with increased insulin sensitivity. These data point toward the importance of increasing skeletal muscle capillarization for prevention or treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The effect of calorie restriction on insulin signaling in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue of Ames dwarf mice

Long-living Ames dwarf (df/df) mice are homozygous for a mutation of the Prop1(df) gene. As a result, mice are deficient in growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and thyrotropin (TSH). In spite of the hormonal deficiencies, df/df mice live significantly longer and healthier lives compared to their wild type siblings. We studied the effects of calorie restriction (CR) on the expression of insulin signaling genes in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue of normal and df/df mice. The analysis of genes expression showed that CR differentially affects the insulin signaling pathway in these insulin target organs. Moreover, results obtained in both normal and Ames dwarf mice indicate more direct effects of CR on insulin signaling genes in adipose tissue than in skeletal muscle. Interestingly, CR reduced the protein levels of adiponectin in the epididymal adipose tissue of normal and Ames dwarf mice, while elevating adiponectin levels in skeletal muscle and plasma of normal mice only. In conclusion, our findings suggest that both skeletal muscle and adipose tissue are important mediators of insulin effects on longevity. Additionally, the results revealed divergent effects of CR on expression of genes in the insulin signaling pathway of normal and Ames dwarf mice.

Ozone exposure triggers insulin resistance through muscle c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation.

A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to traffic-related air pollution is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Ozone, a major photochemical pollutant in urban areas, is negatively associated with fasting glucose and insulin levels, but most aspects of this association remain to be elucidated. Using an environmentally realistic concentration (0.8 parts per million), we demonstrated that exposure of rats to ozone induced whole-body insulin resistance and oxidative stress, with associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation, and disruption of insulin signaling in skeletal muscle. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluids from ozone-treated rats reproduced this effect in C2C12 myotubes, suggesting that toxic lung mediators were responsible for the phenotype. Pretreatment with the chemical chaperone 4-phenylbutyric acid, the JNK inhibitor SP600125, or the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine alleviated insulin resistance, demonstrating that ozone sequentially triggered oxidative stress, ER stress, and JNK activation to impair insulin signaling in muscle. This study is the first to report that ozone plays a causative role in the development of insulin resistance, suggesting that it could boost the development of diabetes. We therefore provide a potential mechanism linking pollutant exposure and the increased incidence of metabolic diseases.

Litter size reduction alters insulin signaling in the ventral tegmental area and influences dopamine-related behaviors in adult rats

Postnatal overfeeding is a well-known model of early-life induced obesity and glucose intolerance in rats. However, little is known about its impact on insulin signaling in specific brain regions such as the mesocorticolimbic system, and its putative effects on dopamine-related hedonic food intake in adulthood. For this study, rat litters were standardized to 4 (small litter – SL) or 8 pups (control – NL) at postnatal day 1. Weaning was at day 21, and all tests were conducted after day 60 of life in male rats. In Experiment 1, we demonstrated that the SL animals were heavier than the NL at all time points and had decreased AKT/pAKT ratio in the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA), without differences in the skeletal muscle insulin signaling in response to insulin injection. In Experiment 2, the standard rat chow intake was addressed using an automated system (BioDAQ, Research Diets®), and showed no differences between the groups. On the other hand, the SL animals ingested more sweet food in response to the 1min tail-pinch challenge and did not develop conditioned place preference to sweet food. In Experiment 3 we showed that the SL rats had increased VTA TH content but had no difference in this protein in response to a sweet food challenge, as the NL had. The SL rats also showed decreased levels of dopamine D2 receptors in the nucleus accumbens. Here we showed that early postnatal overfeeding was linked to an altered functioning of the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, which was associated with altered insulin signaling in the VTA, suggesting increased sensitivity, and expression of important proteins of the dopaminergic system.

Lack of REDD1 reduces whole body glucose and insulin tolerance, and impairs skeletal muscle insulin signaling

A lack of the REDD1 promotes dysregulated growth signaling, though little has been established with respect to the metabolic role of REDD1. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the role of REDD1 on glucose and insulin tolerance, as well as insulin stimulated growth signaling pathway activation in skeletal muscle. First, intraperitoneal (IP) injection of glucose or insulin were administered to REDD1 wildtype (WT) versus knockout (KO) mice to examine changes in blood glucose over time. Next, alterations in skeletal muscle insulin (IRS-1, Akt, ERK 1/2) and growth (4E-BP1, S6K1, REDD1) signaling intermediates were determined before and after IP insulin treatment (10min). REDD1 KO mice were both glucose and insulin intolerant when compared to WT mice, evident by higher circulating blood glucose concentrations and a greater area under the curve following IP injections of glucose or insulin. While the REDD1 KO exhibited significant though blunted insulin-stimulated increases (p<0.05) in Akt S473 and T308 phosphorylation versus the WT mice, acute insulin treatment has no effect (p<0.05) on REDD1 KO skeletal muscle 4E-BP1 T37/46, S6K1 T389, IRS-1 Y1222, and ERK 1/2 T202/Y204 phosphorylation versus the WT mice. Collectively, these novel data suggest that REDD1 has a more distinct role in whole body and skeletal muscle metabolism and insulin action than previously thought.

A vascular mechanism for high-sodium-induced insulin resistance in rats

High sodium (HS) effects on hypertension are well established. Recent evidence implicates a relationship between HS intake and insulin resistance, even in the absence of hypertension. The aim of the current study was to determine whether loss of the vascular actions of insulin may be the driving factor linking HS intake to insulin resistance. Sprague Dawley rats were fed a control (0.31% wt/wt NaCl) or HS (8.00% wt/wt NaCl) diet for 4 weeks and subjected to euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp (10 mU min(-1) kg(-1)) or constant-flow pump-perfused hindlimb studies following an overnight fast. A separate group of HS rats was given quinapril during the dietary intervention and subjected to euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp as above. HS intake had no effect on body weight or fat mass or on fasting glucose, insulin, endothelin-1 or NEFA concentrations. However, HS impaired whole body and skeletal muscle glucose uptake, in addition to a loss of insulin-stimulated microvascular recruitment. These effects were present despite enhanced insulin signalling (Akt) in both liver and skeletal muscle. Constant-flow pump-perfused hindlimb experiments revealed normal insulin-stimulated myocyte glucose uptake in HS-fed rats. Quinapril treatment restored insulin-mediated microvascular recruitment and muscle glucose uptake in vivo. HS-induced insulin resistance is driven by impaired microvascular responsiveness to insulin, and is not due to metabolic or signalling defects within myocytes or liver. These results imply that reducing sodium intake may be important not only for management of hypertension but also for insulin resistance, and highlight the vasculature as a potential therapeutic target in the prevention of insulin resistance.

Urocortin 3 activates AMPK and AKT pathways and enhances glucose disposal in rat skeletal muscle.

Insulin resistance (IR) in skeletal muscle is an important component of both type 2 diabetes and the syndrome of sarcopaenic obesity, for which there are no effective therapies. Urocortins (UCNs) are not only well established as neuropeptides but also have their roles in metabolism in peripheral tissues. We have shown recently that global overexpression of UCN3 resulted in muscular hypertrophy and resistance to the adverse metabolic effects of a high-fat diet. Herein, we aimed to establish whether short-term local UCN3 expression could enhance glucose disposal and insulin signalling in skeletal muscle. UCN3 was found to be expressed in right tibialis cranialis and extensor digitorum longus muscles of rats by in vivo electrotransfer and the effects studied vs the contralateral muscles after 1 week. No increase in muscle mass was detected, but test muscles showed 19% larger muscle fibre diameter (P=0.030), associated with increased IGF1 and IGF1 receptor mRNA and increased SER256 phosphorylation of forkhead transcription factor. Glucose clearance into the test muscles after an intraperitoneal glucose load was increased by 23% (P=0.018) per unit mass, associated with increased GLUT1 (34% increase; P=0.026) and GLUT4 (48% increase; P=0.0009) proteins, and significantly increased phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1, AKT, AKT substrate of 160 kDa, glycogen synthase kinase-3β, AMP-activated protein kinase and its substrate acetyl coA carboxylase. Thus, UCN3 expression enhances glucose disposal and signalling in muscle by an autocrine/paracrine mechanism that is separate from its pro-hypertrophic effects, implying that such a manipulation may have promised for the treatment of IR syndromes including sarcopaenic obesity.

Mechanisms behind the superior effects of interval vs continuous training on glycaemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled trial.

By use of a parallel and partly crossover randomised, controlled trial design we sought to elucidate the underlying mechanisms behind the advantageous effects of interval walking training (IWT) compared with continuous walking training (CWT) on glycaemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes. We hypothesised that IWT, more than CWT, would improve insulin sensitivity including skeletal muscle insulin signalling, insulin secretion and disposition index (DI). By simple randomisation (sequentially numbered, opaque sealed envelopes), eligible individuals (diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, no exogenous insulin treatment) were allocated to three groups: a control group (CON, n = 8), an IWT group (n = 12) and an energy expenditure-matched CWT group (n = 12). Training groups were prescribed free-living training, five sessions per week (60 min/session). A three-stage hyperglycaemic clamp, including glucose isotope tracers and skeletal muscle biopsies, was performed before and after a 4 month intervention in a hospitalised setting. No blinding was performed. The improved glycaemic control, which was only seen in the IWT group, was consistent with IWT-induced increases in insulin sensitivity index (49.8 ± 14.6%; p < 0.001), peripheral glucose disposal (14.5 ± 4.9%; p < 0.05) and DI (66.2 ± 21.8%; p < 0.001), with no changes in the CWT or CON group. Moreover, only IWT improved insulin signalling in skeletal muscle via increased insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of AS160 (29.0 ± 10.8%; p < 0.05). No changes were seen in insulin secretion during hyperglycaemia alone, hyperglycaemia + glucagon-like peptide 1 infusion or arginine injection. IWT maintains insulin secretion and improves insulin sensitivity and DI, in contrast to energy expenditure-matched CWT. These results suggest that training with alternating intensity, and not just training volume and mean intensity, is a key determinant of changes in whole body glucose disposal in individuals with type 2 diabetes. ClinicalTrials (NCT01234155).

A small amount of dietary carbohydrate can promote the HFD-induced insulin resistance to a maximal level.

Both dietary fat and carbohydrates (Carbs) may play important roles in the development of insulin resistance. The main goal of this study was to further define the roles for fat and dietary carbs in insulin resistance. C57BL/6 mice were fed normal chow diet (CD) or HFD containing 0.1–25.5% carbs for 5 weeks, followed by evaluations of calorie consumption, body weight and fat gains, insulin sensitivity, intratissue insulin signaling, ectopic fat, and oxidative stress in liver and skeletal muscle. The role of hepatic gluconeogenesis in the HFD-induced insulin resistance was determined in mice. The role of fat in insulin resistance was also examined in cultured cells. HFD with little carbs (0.1%) induced severe insulin resistance. Addition of 5% carbs to HFD dramatically elevated insulin resistance and 10% carbs in HFD was sufficient to induce a maximal level of insulin resistance. HFD with little carbs induced ectopic fat accumulation and oxidative stress in liver and skeletal muscle and addition of carbs to HFD dramatically enhanced ectopic fat and oxidative stress. HFD increased hepatic expression of key gluconeogenic genes and the increase was most dramatic by HFD with little carbs, and inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis prevented the HFD-induced insulin resistance. In cultured cells, development of insulin resistance induced by a pathological level of insulin was prevented in the absence of fat. Together, fat is essential for development of insulin resistance and dietary carb is not necessary for HFD-induced insulin resistance due to the presence of hepatic gluconeogenesis but a very small amount of it can promote HFD-induced insulin resistance to a maximal level.

An examination of resveratrol's mechanisms of action in human tissue: impact of a single dose in vivo and dose responses in skeletal muscle ex vivo.

The current study tested the hypothesis that a single, moderate dose of RSV would activate the AMPK/SIRT1 axis in human skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Additionally, the effects of RSV on mitochondrial respiration in PmFBs were examined. Eight sedentary men (23.8±2.4 yrs; BMI: 32.7±7.1) reported to the lab on two occasions where they were provided a meal supplemented with 300 mg of RSV or a placebo. Blood samples, and a muscle biopsy were obtained in the fasted state and again, with the addition of an adipose tissue biopsy, two hours post-prandial. The effect of RSV on mitochondrial respiration was examined in PmFBs taken from muscle biopsies from an additional eight men (23.4±5.4 yrs; BMI: 24.4±2.8). No effect of RSV was observed on nuclear SIRT1 activity, acetylation of p53, or phosphorylation of AMPK, ACC or PKA in either skeletal muscle or adipose tissue. A decrease in post absorptive insulin levels was accompanied by elevated skeletal muscle phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, but no change in either skeletal muscle or adipose tissue insulin signalling. Mitochondrial respiration in PmFBs was rapidly inhibited by RSV at 100–300 uM depending on the substrate examined. These results question the efficacy of a single dose of RSV at altering skeletal muscle and adipose tissue AMPK/SIRT1 activity in humans and suggest that RSV mechanisms of action in humans may be associated with altered cellular energetics resulting from impaired mitochondrial ATP production.

Quantitative phosphoproteomics reveals novel phosphorylation events in insulin signaling regulated by protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 12A.

These results identify a large number of potential new substrates of serine/threonine protein phosphatase 1 and suggest that serine/threonine protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 12A indeed plays a regulatory role in multiple pathways related to insulin action, providing novel insights into the biology of skeletal muscle insulin signaling. This information may facilitate the design of experiments to better understand the molecular mechanism responsible for skeletal muscle insulin resistance and associated diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Role of diacylglycerol activation of PKCθ in lipid-induced muscle insulin resistance in humans.

Muscle insulin resistance is a key feature of obesity and type 2 diabetes and is strongly associated with increased intramyocellular lipid content and inflammation. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for causing muscle insulin resistance in humans are still unclear. To address this question, we performed serial muscle biopsies in healthy, lean subjects before and during a lipid infusion to induce acute muscle insulin resistance and assessed lipid and inflammatory parameters that have been previously implicated in causing muscle insulin resistance. We found that acute induction of muscle insulin resistance was associated with a transient increase in total and cytosolic diacylglycerol (DAG) content that was temporally associated with protein kinase (PKC)θ activation, increased insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 serine 1101 phosphorylation, and inhibition of insulin-stimulated IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation and AKT2 phosphorylation. In contrast, there were no associations between insulin resistance and alterations in muscle ceramide, acylcarnitine content, or adipocytokines (interleukin-6, adiponectin, retinol-binding protein 4) or soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1. Similar associations between muscle DAG content, PKCθ activation, and muscle insulin resistance were observed in healthy insulin-resistant obese subjects and obese type 2 diabetic subjects. Taken together, these data support a key role for DAG activation of PKCθ in the pathogenesis of lipid-induced muscle insulin resistance in obese and type 2 diabetic individuals.

The endocannabinoid 2-AG controls skeletal muscle cell differentiation via CB1 receptor-dependent inhibition of Kv7 channels.

Little is known of the involvement of endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors in skeletal muscle cell differentiation. We report that, due to changes in the expression of genes involved in its metabolism, the levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are decreased both during myotube formation in vitro from murine C2C12 myoblasts and during mouse muscle growth in vivo. The endocannabinoid, as well as the CB1 agonist arachidonoyl-2-chloroethylamide, prevent myotube formation in a manner antagonized by CB1 knockdown and by CB1 antagonists, which, per se, instead stimulate differentiation. Importantly, 2-AG also inhibits differentiation of primary human satellite cells. Muscle fascicles from CB1 knockout embryos contain more muscle fibers, and postnatal mice show muscle fibers of an increased diameter relative to wild-type littermates. Inhibition of Kv7.4 channel activity, which plays a permissive role in myogenesis and depends on phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), underlies the effects of 2-AG. We find that CB1 stimulation reduces both total and Kv7.4-bound PIP2 levels in C2C12 cells and inhibits Kv7.4 currents in transfected CHO cells. We suggest that 2-AG is an endogenous repressor of myoblast differentiation via CB1-mediated inhibition of Kv7.4 channels.

Insulin stimulates FoxO4 protein abundance in human skeletal muscle in lean healthy but not in obese subjects with or without type 2 diabetes

Fragestellung: Many studies show negative impact of inflammation-mediating molecules like Tumor necrose factor α (TNFα) or Interleukin-6 (IL6) on insulin signaling in skeletal muscle (Plomgaard et al. 2005, Guilherme et al. 2008). Conversely, only few studies have investigated the effect of insulin on generation of these cytokines (Krogh-Madsen et al. 2003, Plomgaard et al. 2007). Here we hypothesize that increased abundance of the transcription factor FoxO4 may play a role in cytokine-mediated perturbation of insulin signaling.

Abstract 452: Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 4 Deficiency Improves the Metabolic Phenotype and Skeletal Muscle Insulin Signaling in LDLr-/- Mice on Diabetogenic High-Cholesterol Diet

Insulin resistance and type2 diabetes are associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. About 80% of the subjects with type2 diabetes die due to cardiovascular complications. We previously showed that STAT4 deficiency improves insulin resistance in C57Bl6 mice on high fat diet and STAT4-/-ApoE-/- mice develop significantly lower atherosclerosis compared to ApoE-/- controls. The goal of this project was to determine the effect of STAT4 deficiency in a combined model of atherosclerosis and insulin resistance. To this purpose we generated STAT4-/-LDLr-/- mice and fed them either a chow diet or a high carbohydrate (36.6%), high cholesterol (0.15%) (DDC) diet for 16 weeks (n=7-10). The LDLr-/- on DDC diet developed glucose intolerance and insulin resistance as well as atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia compared to chow fed controls. STAT4-/-LDLr-/- mice on DDC diet, although hypercholesterolemic had significantly reduced atherosclerotic plaques by en face staining (p&lt;0.05). Also STAT4 deficient mice on DDC diet had significantly lower area under curve for both the insulin and glucose tolerance tests (p&lt;0.01), as well as reduced fasted glucose (p&lt;0.05) compared to LDLr-/- mice despite similar body weights. Glucose stimulated insulin secretion in isolated pancreatic islets was blunted in LDLr-/- mice on DDC compared to chow controls and STAT4 deficiency restored the insulin secretion in islets from DDC fed mice at levels comparable to chow controls. In vivo insulin challenge showed reduced activation of IR, IRS-1 and Akt in LDLr-/- mice on DDC compared to chow controls in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. STAT4-/-LDLr-/- on DDC diet had significantly improved activation of IRS-1 and Akt in skeletal muscle but not in adipose tissue. IR activation was constitutively higher in in STAT4-/-LDLr-/- mice on DDC compared to chow and did not change after insulin stimulation suggesting that STAT4 deficiency restores insulin signaling via a post-receptor mechanism. In conclusion, STAT4 deficiency reduces insulin resistance and improves glucose intolerance primarily by improving insulin signaling in skeletal muscle and by increasing islet insulin secretion. This may explain in part the athero-protective phenotype in STAT4-/-LDLr mice.

Doxorubicin leads to impaired insulin signaling in skeletal muscle

Background Doxorubicin is an antibiotic largely used in clinical practice for the treatment of several types of tumors. However, its application may be limited by triggering some host’s deleterious effects, such as extreme fatigue, anorexia, sarcopenia, cardiovascular diseases, among others [1]. The role of skeletal muscle in this process should be further elucidated as this tissue is still important for glucose homeostasis [2] and becomes impaired by doxorubicin treatment. Knowledge of doxorubicin’s effect in the skeletal muscle and in the mechanism of action involved on the systemic insulin sensitivity is still incipient. The aim of this study is to evaluate the mechanism of insulin resistance after doxorubicin treatment.

Differential effects of whey protein concentrate and hydrolyzed whey/egg protein blends on post‐prandial markers of insulin signaling and skeletal muscle anabolism in rats (LB439)

We examined how gavage‐feeding the following dietary proteins (10 human eq. g dissolved in 1 ml of water) acutely affected skeletal muscle insulin signaling and anabolism markers 90‐ and 180‐min post‐feeding in male Wistar rats (~250 g) fasted overnight. Supplementation included: a) 80% whey protein concentrate (WPC, n = 15); b) 70% hydrolyzed whey + 30% hydrolyzed egg albumin (70W/30E, n = 15); c) 50W/50E (n = 15); d) 30W/70E (n = 15); and e) 1 ml of water with no protein (fasted, n = 14). Immunoblotting results from mixed gastrocnemius muscles revealed: 1) rats fed WPC, 70W/30E and 50W/50E typically presented an in phospho‐Akt (Thr308) compared to 30W/70E and fasting rats (p &lt; 0.05); 2) markers of mTOR signaling (p‐mTOR Ser2481, p‐p70s6k Thr389, p‐rpS6 Ser235/236) were typically greater in rats fed 70W/30E and 50W/50E compared to WPC, 30W/70E and fasting rats (p &lt; 0.05); and 3) 180‐min post‐feeding muscle protein synthesis (MPS) analysis demonstrated that, compared to fasted rats, WPC feeding increased MPS by 94% (p &lt; 0.05), 70W/30E feeding increased MPS by 74% (p = 0.065) and 50W/50E and 30W/70E feedings non‐significantly increased MPS by 25% and 34%, respectively (p &gt; 0.05). In summary, 70W/30E feeding elicits similar acute post‐feeding responses to that of WPC. However, replacing hydrolyzed whey with a higher percentage of hydrolyzed egg albumin attenuated these responses.Source of Research Support: 4LIFE Research, Inc.