title: Effect of thiopental, pentobarbital and diethyl ether on early steps of insulin action in liver and muscle of the intact rat.
abstract: A large number of experimental studies have investigated insulin signaling in rats. In these studies different anaesthetics have been used to anaesthetize rats. However, the direct effects of anaesthetics on the regulation of the early steps of insulin action are not known. In the present study, we investigated the effect of thiopental, pentobarbital and diethyl ether on the plasma glucose disappearance rate, IR, IRS-1 and IRS-2 tyrosine phosphorylation, IRSs association with PI 3-kinase, Akt and Erk phosphorylation, in liver and muscle of rats. Fasting plasma glucose levels were higher in animals anaesthetized with ether. No differences in plasma glucose disappearance rates were observed, however. Insulin-induced IR, IRS-1 and IRS-2 tyrosine phosphorylation, association of these substrates with PI 3-kinase and Akt and ERK phosphorylation were similar in the three groups of animals in both tissues. These data suggest that both thiopental and pentobarbital may be used in studies where changes in insulin signaling are being measured and where adequate general anaesthesia is required.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Anestesia, FCM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adilson R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Carla R O
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Lício A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Velloso
authors.forename: Sigisfredo L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Brenelli
authors.forename: Mário J A
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.forename: José B C
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Carvalheira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin