title: Effects of rosiglitazone on intramyocellular lipid accumulation in Psammomys obesus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of rosiglitazone in intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) content in diabetic Psammomys obesus using novel electron microscopy technologies.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  P. obesus is an unique polygenic model of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Male diabetic P. obesus were treated daily with 5 mg/Kg Rosiglitazone by oral gavage for 14 days. Data were compared with a group of age-matched diabetic P. obesus treated with saline vehicle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessment of insulin resistance and adiposity were determine before and after the treatment period by oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) analysis. We used a new scanning electron microscopy technology, (WETSEM) to investigate the effects of rosiglitazone administration on IMCL content, size and distribution in red gastrocnemius muscle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rosiglitazone treatment improved glucose tolerance in P. obesus with no difference in the overall body fat content although a significant reduction in subscapular fat mass was observed. Rosiglitazone changed the distribution of lipid droplet size in skeletal muscle. Treated animals tended to have smaller lipid droplets compared with saline-treated controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since smaller IMCL droplets are associated with improvements in insulin sensitivity, we propose that this may be an important mechanism by which rosiglitazone affects glucose tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Research Unit, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Molero
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ilit
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leizerman
authors.forename: Ayelet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chajut
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walder
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D005849:Gerbillinae; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008055:Lipids / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077154:Rosiglitazone