title: AMP kinase activation ameliorates insulin resistance induced by free fatty acids in rat skeletal muscle.
abstract: We examined whether acute activation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by 5'-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribonucleoside (AICAR) ameliorates insulin resistance in isolated rat skeletal muscle. Insulin resistance was induced in extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles by prolonged exposure to 1.6 mM palmitate, which inhibited insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis to 51% of control after 5 h of incubation. Insulin-stimulated glucose transport was less affected (22% of control). The decrease in glycogen synthesis was accompanied by decreased glycogen synthase (GS) activity and increased GS phosphorylation. When including 2 mM AICAR in the last hour of the 5-h incubation with palmitate, the inhibitory effect of palmitate on insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis and glucose transport was eliminated. This effect of AICAR was accompanied by activation of AMPK. Importantly, AMPK inhibition was able to prevent this effect. Neither treatment affected total glycogen content. However, glucose 6-phosphate was increased after inclusion of AICAR, indicating increased influx of glucose. No effect of AICAR on the inhibited insulin-stimulated GS activity or increased GS phosphorylation by palmitate could be detected. Thus the mechanism by which AMPK activation ameliorates the lipid-induced insulin resistance probably involves induction of compensatory mechanisms overriding the insulin resistance. Our results emphasize AMPK as a promising molecular target for treatment of insulin resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes Biology, Novo Nordisk, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. gso@novonordisk.com
authors.forename: Grith S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Bo F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000263:Adenylate Kinase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000620:Aminoimidazole Carboxamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006003:Glycogen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology*; D010168:Palmitates / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012265:Ribonucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010168:Palmitates; D012265:Ribonucleotides; D000620:Aminoimidazole Carboxamide; D006003:Glycogen; D000263:Adenylate Kinase; C031143:AICA ribonucleotide