A Novel Strategy to Prevent Advanced Atherosclerosis and Lower Blood Glucose in a Mouse Model of Metabolic Syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Cardiovascular disease caused by atherosclerosis is the leading cause of mortality associated with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Insulin therapy is often needed to improve glycemic control, but it does not clearly prevent atherosclerosis. Upon binding to the insulin receptor (IR), insulin activates distinct arms of downstream signaling. The IR-Akt arm is associated with blood glucose lowering and beneficial effects, whereas the IR-Erk arm might exert less desirable effects. We investigated whether selective activation of the IR-Akt arm, leaving the IR-Erk arm largely inactive, would result in protection from atherosclerosis in a mouse model of metabolic syndrome. The insulin mimetic peptide S597 lowered blood glucose and activated Akt in insulin target tissues, mimicking insulin'

SUBMITTER: Kanter JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5909997 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature