Abstract
Background:
Lipin1, a lately indentified adipokine, may link obesity with insulin resistance and
diabetes. The present study aimed to investigate the changes and significance of lipin1
expression and lipin1-AMPK signaling in diet-induced hepatic insulin resistance.
Methods:
24 4-week-old Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: (1) control group
(CO), (2) high-fat diet group (HF). Insulin sensitivity was evaluated by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic
clamp technique. The mRNA levels of α1 and α2 subunit of AMPKα as well as Lipin1 were
measured using Real-time RT-PCR. The activities of AMPKα and Akt were evaluated by
detection of p-AMPKα (Thr-172) and p-Akt (ser473) by Western blot.
Results:
After treatment of 4 months, HF group showed significantly increased levels of body
weight, fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels; Plasma and liver total cholesterol
(TC), triglycerides (TG) levels were also markedly elevated; Lipin1 expression at
both mRNA and protein levels were significantly deceased. Compared with CO group,
the mRNA and protein levels of AMPKα1 and AMPKα2 were not changed, whereas the p-AMPK
(Thr-172) and p-AKT (ser473) levels in liver were significantly decreased in HF group.
Conclusions:
These findings indicated that the decrease in lipin1 expression and AMPKα activation
may contribute to hepatic insulin resistance in diet-induced obese rats.
Key words
hepatic Insulin resistance - AMP-activated protein kinase - lipin1 -
Lpin1