Abstract
Hypertension often complicates type 2 diabetes mellitus, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor treatment has been shown to improve insulin resistance in such cases. However, the effect of angiotensin II type-1 (AT(1)) receptor antagonists on insulin resistance is still controversial. To gain further information on this effect, we examined the effect of losartan on insulin resistance in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Losartan administration alone lowered systolic blood pressure, but did not improve oral glucose tolerance test or insulin resistance in OLETF rats. However, the administration of losartan with exercise significantly improved both systolic blood pressure and insulin resistance relative to control OLETF rats. On the other hand, losartan treatment, regardless of exercise, increased glucose uptake in excised soleus muscle and fat cells. To explore the beneficial effect of losartan on skeletal muscle glucose uptake, we examined intracellular signaling of soleus muscle. Although Akt activity and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) expressions were not affected by losartan with or without exercise, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activities were increased by both interventions. These results indicate that angiotensin AT(1) receptor antagonist improved local insulin resistance, but not systemic insulin resistance. These findings may explain the controversy over the effect of angiotensin AT(1) receptor antagonists on insulin resistance in clinical use. The enhancing effect of angiotensin AT(1) receptor antagonist on skeletal muscle glucose uptake may be attributable to MAP kinase activation or other mechanisms rather than phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adipocytes / drug effects
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Adipocytes / metabolism
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Animals
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Antihypertensive Agents / pharmacology*
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Blood Glucose / drug effects
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Blood Glucose / metabolism
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Blood Pressure / drug effects
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Blotting, Western
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Body Weight / drug effects
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Deoxyglucose / pharmacokinetics
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / physiopathology
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Enzyme Activation / drug effects
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Glucose / pharmacokinetics
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Glucose / pharmacology
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Glucose Tolerance Test
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Glucose Transporter Type 4
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Heart Rate / drug effects
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Insulin / blood
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Insulin Resistance*
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JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
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Losartan / pharmacology*
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Male
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / drug effects
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / drug effects
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
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Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / drug effects
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Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / metabolism
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Muscle Proteins*
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Muscle, Skeletal / drug effects
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Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
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Phosphorylation / drug effects
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Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology*
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / drug effects
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
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Rats
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Rats, Inbred OLETF
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p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
Substances
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Antihypertensive Agents
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Blood Glucose
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Glucose Transporter Type 4
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Insulin
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Monosaccharide Transport Proteins
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Muscle Proteins
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins
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Slc2a4 protein, rat
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Deoxyglucose
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Akt1 protein, rat
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
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JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
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p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
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Glucose
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Losartan