Abstract
1. The present review focuses on the effects of varying levels of GLUT-4, the insulin-senstive glucose transporter, on insulin sensitivity and whole body glucose homeostasis. 2. Three mouse models are discussed including myosin light chain (MLC)-GLUT-4 mice which overexpress GLUT-4 specifically in skeletal muscle, GLUT-4 null mice which express no GLUT-4 and the MLC-GLUT-4 null mice which express GLUT-4 only in skeletal muscle. Overexpressing GLUT-4 specifically in the skleletal muscle results in increased insulin sensitivity in the MLC-GLUT-4 mice. In contrast, the GLUT-4 null mice exhibit insulin intolerance accompanied by abnormalities in glucose and lipid metabolism. Restoring GLUT-4 expression in skeletal muscle in the MLC-GLUT-4 null mice results in normal glucose metabolism but continued abnormal lipid metabolism. 3. The results of experiments using these mouse models demonstrates that modifying the expresssion of GLUT-4 profoundly affects whole body insulin action and consequently glucose and lipid metabolism.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 308-313 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology |
Volume | 32 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 2005 |
Keywords
- GLUT-4
- Glucose transporter
- Glucose uptake
- Insulin action
- Skeletal muscle
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Pharmacology
- Physiology (medical)