title: Potential role of glycogen synthase kinase-3 in skeletal muscle insulin resistance of type 2 diabetes.
abstract: Glycogen synthase (GS) activity is reduced in skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetes, despite normal protein expression, consistent with altered GS regulation. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is involved in regulation (phosphorylation and deactivation) of GS. To access the potential role of GSK-3 in insulin resistance and reduced GS activity in type 2 diabetes, the expression and activity of GSK-3 were studied in biopsies of vastus lateralis from type 2 and nondiabetic subjects before and after 3-h hyperinsulinemic (300 mU x m(-2) x min(-1))-euglycemic clamps. The specific activity of GSK-3alpha did not differ between nondiabetic and diabetic muscle and was decreased similarly after 3-h insulin infusion. However, protein levels of both alpha and beta isoforms of GSK-3 were elevated (approximately 30%) in diabetic muscle compared with lean (P < 0.01) and weight-matched obese nondiabetic subjects (P < 0.05) and were unchanged by insulin infusion. Thus, both basal and insulin-stimulated total GSK-3 activities were elevated by approximately twofold in diabetic muscle. GSK-3 expression was related to in vivo insulin action, as GSK-3 protein was negatively correlated with maximal insulin-stimulated glucose disposal rates. In summary, GSK-3 protein levels and total activities are 1) elevated in type 2 diabetic muscle independent of obesity and 2) inversely correlated with both GS activity and maximally insulin-stimulated glucose disposal. We conclude that increased GSK-3 expression in diabetic muscle may contribute to the impaired GS activity and skeletal muscle insulin resistance present in type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Nikoulina
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Ciaraldi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mudaliar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mohideen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Henry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006006:Glycogen Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D038341:Glycogen Synthase Kinases; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D007527:Isoenzymes; D006006:Glycogen Synthase; D038341:Glycogen Synthase Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3