title: Lipoic acid reduces glycemia and increases muscle GLUT4 content in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.
abstract: Alpha lipoic acid (lipoate [LA]), a cofactor of alpha-ketodehydrogenase, exhibits unique antioxidant properties. Recent studies suggest a direct effect of LA on glucose metabolism in both human and experimental diabetes. This study examines the possibility that LA positively affects glucose homeostasis in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats by altering skeletal muscle glucose utilization. Blood glucose concentration in STZ-diabetic rats following 10 days of intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of LA 30 mg/kg was reduced compared with that in vehicle-treated diabetic rats (495 +/- 131 v 641 +/- 125 mg/dL in fed state, P = .003, and 189 +/- 48 v 341 +/- 36 mg/dL after 12-hour fast, P = .001). No effect of LA on plasma insulin was observed. Gastrocnemius muscle crude membrane GLUT4 protein was elevated both in control and in diabetic rats treated with LA by 1.5- and 2.8-fold, respectively, without significant changes in GLUT4 mRNA levels. Gastrocnemius lactic acid was increased in diabetic rats (19.9 +/- 5.5 v 10.4 +/- 2.8 mumol/g muscle, P < .05 v nondiabetic rats), and was normal in LA-treated diabetic rats (9.1 +/- 5.0 mumol/g muscle). Insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose (2 DG) uptake into isolated soleus muscle was reduced in diabetic rats compared with the control group (474 +/- 15 v 568 +/- 52 pmol/mg muscle 30 min, respectively, P = .05). LA treatment prevented this reduction, resulting in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake comparable to that of nondiabetic animals. These results suggest that daily LA treatment may reduce blood glucose concentrations in STZ-diabetic rats by enhancing muscle GLUT4 protein content and by increasing muscle glucose utilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khamaisi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Potashnik
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tirosh
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demshchak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rudich
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tritschler
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wessel
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bashan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007328:Insulin; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495694:Slc2a4 protein, rat; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008063:Thioctic Acid; D003847:Deoxyglucose