Hyperglycemia is associated with altered myocardial substrate use, a condition that has been hypothesized to contribute to impaired cardiac performance. The goals of this study were to determine whether changes in cardiac metabolism, gene expression, and function precede or follow the onset of hyperglycemia in two mouse models of obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes (ob/ob and db/db mice). Ob/ob and db/db mice were studied at 4, 8, and 15 wk of age. Four-week-old mice of both strains were normoglycemic but hyperinsulinemic. Hyperglycemia develops in db/db mice between 4 and 8 wk of age and in ob/ob mice between 8 and 15 wk. In isolated working hearts, rates of glucose oxidation were reduced by 28-37% at 4 wk and declined no further at 15 wk in both strains. Fatty acid oxidation rates and myocardial oxygen consumption were increased in 4-wk-old mice of both strains. Fatty acid oxidation rates progressively increased in db/db mice in parallel with the earlier onset and greater duration of hyperglycemia. In vivo, cardiac catheterization revealed significantly increased left ventricular contractility and relaxation (positive and negative dP/dt) in both strains at 4 wk of age. dP/dt declined over time in db/db mice but remained elevated in ob/ob mice at 15 wk of age. Increased beta-myosin heavy chain isoform expression was present in 4-wk-old mice and persisted in 15-wk-old mice. Increased expression of peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor-alpha regulated genes was observed only at 15 wk in both strains. These data indicate that altered myocardial substrate use and reduced myocardial efficiency are early abnormalities in the hearts of obese mice and precede the onset of hyperglycemia. Obesity per se does not cause contractile dysfunction in vivo, but loss of the hypercontractile phenotype of obesity and up-regulation of peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor-alpha regulated genes occur later and are most pronounced in the presence of longstanding hyperglycemia.

Diabetes alters cardiac substrate metabolism. The cardiac phenotype in insulin-resistant states has not been comprehensively characterized. The goal of these studies was to determine whether the hearts of leptindeficient 8-week-old ob/ob mice were able to modulate cardiac substrate utilization in response to insulin or to changes in fatty acid delivery. Ob/ob mice were insulin resistant and glucose intolerant. Insulin signal transduction and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake were markedly impaired in ob/ob cardiomyocytes. Insulinstimulated rates of glycolysis and glucose oxidation were 1.5-and 1.8-fold higher in wild-type hearts, respectively, versus ob/ob, and glucose metabolism in ob/ob hearts was unresponsive to insulin. Increasing concentrations of palmitate from 0.4 mmol/l (low) to 1.2 mmol/l (high) led to a decline in glucose oxidation in wild-type hearts, whereas glucose oxidation remained depressed and did not change in ob/ob mouse hearts. In contrast, fatty acid utilization in ob/ob hearts was 1.5-to 2-fold greater in the absence or presence of 1 nmol/l insulin and rose with increasing palmitate concentrations. Moreover, the ability of insulin to reduce palmitate oxidation rates was blunted in the hearts of ob/ob mice. Under low-palmitate and insulin-free conditions, cardiac performance was significantly greater in wildtype hearts. However, in the presence of high palmitate and 1 nmol/l insulin, cardiac performance in ob/ob mouse hearts was relatively preserved, whereas function in wild-type mouse hearts declined substantially. Under all perfusion conditions, myocardial oxygen consumption was higher in ob/ob hearts, ranging from 30% higher in low-palmitate conditions to greater than twofold higher under high-palmitate conditions. These data indicate that although the hearts of glucose-intolerant ob/ob mice are capable of maintaining their function under conditions of increased fatty acid supply and hyperinsulinemia, they are insulin-resistant, metabolically inefficient, and unable to modulate substrate utilization in response to changes in insulin and fatty acid supply. Diabetes 53: 2366 -2374, 2004 D iabetes is associated with a switch in myocardial substrate utilization that results in increased fatty acid utilization and decreased glucose utilization (1,2). Most studies of myocardial energy metabolism in diabetes have been performed in models of insulin deficiency. Fewer studies in insulin-resistant animals with type 2 diabetes have also revealed that glucose and/or lactate oxidation rates are decreased and that palmitate oxidation rates are increased (3-5). Moreover, this metabolic profile is associated with reduced myocardial function. Most studies in insulinresistant mouse models have been performed at fatty acid concentrations that are similar to those seen in lean controls. Furthermore, some studies have been performed in the presence of added insulin, whereas others have been performed in the absence of insulin. Thus, it is possible that the experimental conditions might not reflect insulin ...

Background-Diabetes-associated cardiac dysfunction is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, which may contribute to left ventricular dysfunction. The contribution of altered myocardial insulin action, independent of associated changes in systemic metabolism, is incompletely understood. The present study tested the hypothesis that perinatal loss of insulin signaling in the heart impairs mitochondrial function. Methods and Results-In 8-week-old mice with cardiomyocyte deletion of insulin receptors (CIRKO), inotropic reserves were reduced, and mitochondria manifested respiratory defects for pyruvate that was associated with proportionate reductions in catalytic subunits of pyruvate dehydrogenase. Progressive age-dependent defects in oxygen consumption and ATP synthesis with the substrate glutamate and the fatty acid derivative palmitoyl-carnitine were observed. Mitochondria also were uncoupled when exposed to palmitoyl-carnitine, in part as a result of increased reactive oxygen species production and oxidative stress. Although proteomic and genomic approaches revealed a reduction in subsets of genes and proteins related to oxidative phosphorylation, no reductions in maximal activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes were found. However, a disproportionate reduction in tricarboxylic acid cycle and fatty acid oxidation proteins in mitochondria suggests that defects in fatty acid and pyruvate metabolism and tricarboxylic acid flux may explain the mitochondrial dysfunction observed. Conclusions-Impaired myocardial insulin signaling promotes oxidative stress and mitochondrial uncoupling, which, together with reduced tricarboxylic acid and fatty acid oxidative capacity, impairs mitochondrial energetics. This study identifies specific contributions of impaired insulin action to mitochondrial dysfunction in the heart. (Circulation. 2009; 119:1272-1283.)Key Words: insulin Ⅲ metabolism Ⅲ mitochondria Ⅲ oxidative stress R ecent studies have suggested that impaired mitochondrial energetics may contribute to cardiac dysfunction in obesity and diabetes mellitus. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The pathogenesis of mitochondrial dysfunction in obesity or diabetes-related heart disease is likely multifactorial but includes fatty acid (FA)-mediated mitochondrial uncoupling and oxidative damage. 3,4,8 -11 A commonly associated finding in the heart in experimental models of obesity and diabetes mellitus is myocardial insulin resistance. [12][13][14][15][16] However, it is not known whether myocardial insulin resistance per se contributes directly to the pathogenesis of myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction. Clinical Perspective p 1283The effects of myocardial insulin signaling on the acute regulation of myocardial metabolism are well known 17,18 and include increasing glucose uptake and glycolysis via regulation of GLUT4 translocation 19,20 and activation of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase. 21 In perfused hearts, insulin increases glucose oxidation and reduces FA oxidation. 13 In vivo, the antilipolytic ef...

Singer Elton John once said ironically in a BBC interview that it is easier to treat HIV infection that Diabetes in this days (International Diabetes Foundation). This statement assumes greater significance when increasing incidence of Diabetes is found in AIDS patients, partly due to hyperglycemic effect of medications used in HIV infection and induction of a pre-Diabetes syndrome in AIDS patients. There may be other obscure reasons for this association but the pathogenesis is least understood. So, one immediate need arises to circumvent glucose enhancing side effects of therapeutic agents used in HIV infection. Pharmaceutical industry needs to come up with alternative therapies or improving existing therapy regimen to get rid

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