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Apelin stimulates glucose uptake through the PI3K/Akt pathway and improves insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

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Abstract

Apelin, a cytokine mainly secreted by adipocytes, is closely related with insulin resistance. The underlying molecular mechanisms of how apelin affects insulin resistance, however, are poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the effect of apelin on glucose metabolism and insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. After 10 ng/ml TNF-α treatment for 24 h, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was reduced by 47% in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Apelin treatment improved glucose uptake in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Treatment of 1,000 nM apelin for 60 min maximally augmented glucose uptake in insulin-resistant 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, apelin pre-incubation also increased adipocytes’ insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, and PI3K/Akt pathway were involved in these effects. In addition, immunocytochemistry staining and western blotting analysis indicated that apelin could increase glucose transporter 4 translocation from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane. Apelin also increased the anti-inflammatory adipokine adiponectin mRNA expression while reducing that of pro-inflammatory adipokine interleukin-6 in insulin-resistant 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These results suggest that apelin stimulates glucose uptake through the PI3K/Akt pathway, promotes GLUT4 translocation from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane, and modulates inflammatory responses in insulin-resistant 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China (F.C., NO. 81090274, NO. 30970845; C.W. NO. 30900611) and Xijing Research Boosting Program (F.C., NO. XJZT08Z04).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xian, 710032, Shaanxi, China

    Shunming Zhu, Weijie Li, Yanjie Cao, Chen Wang, Yabin Wang, Dong Liang, Rongqing Zhang, Shenwei Zhang, Haichang Wang & Feng Cao

  2. Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xian, 710032, Shaanxi, China

    Fei Sun

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  1. Shunming Zhu
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  2. Fei Sun
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Zhu, S., Sun, F., Li, W. et al. Apelin stimulates glucose uptake through the PI3K/Akt pathway and improves insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Mol Cell Biochem 353, 305–313 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-011-0799-0

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