Expression of GLUT4 mRNA of peripheral tissues and insulin resistance in rats with severe traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the expression of glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) mRNA in skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissues and investigate the mechanism of posttraumatic insulin resistance.


METHODS
Sixteen adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 group (n equal to 8 in each group), i.e., severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) group due to falls from a height and normal control group. Blood glucose and serum insulin were measured at 0.5 h before trauma and 3 h, 24 h, 72 h, 7 d after trauma, respectively. And insulin sensitivity was calculated by insulin activity index (IAI) formula. Skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were collected at the same time when blood was sampled. The changes of expression of GLUT4 mRNA were observed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
Accompanied by the decrease of insulin sensitivity, the expression of GLUT4 mRNA was significantly decreased in adipose tissues at 24 h and 72 h after trauma (P less than 0.01), however, such phenomena did not appear in skeletal muscle samples.


CONCLUSIONS
To some extent, the development of posttraumatic insulin resistance is related to the abnormality of transcription activity of GLUT4 gene. Adipose tissues show some difference in the transcriptional level of GLUT4 gene after trauma as compared with skeletal muscle tissues.
Chen
Da-qing
DQ
Department of Emergency, Second Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325027, China.
Zhu
Lie-lie
LL
Li
Yong-ling
YL
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495694:Slc2a4 protein, rat