Diabetes Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Diabetes, including details on insulin, type i, type ii, diet, treatment, prevention.

Alterations in cardiac contractile performance and sarcoplasmic reticulum function in sucrose-fed rats is associated with insulin resistance.

Vasanji Z, Cantor EJ, Juric D, Moyen M, Netticadan T

Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) causes the development of a specific cardiomyopathy that results from the metabolic derangements present in DM and manifests as cardiac contractile dysfunction. Although myocardial dysfunction in Type 1 DM has been associated with defects in the function and regulation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), very little is known about SR function in Type 2 DM. Accordingly, this study examined whether abnormalities in cardiac contractile performance and SR function occur in the prestage of Type 2 DM (i.e., during insulin resistance). Sucrose feeding was used to induce whole body insulin resistance, whereas cardiac contractile performance was assessed by echocardiography and SR function was measured by SR calcium (Ca(2+)) uptake. Sucrose-fed rats exhibited hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia relative to control rats. Serial echocardiographic assessments in the sucrose-fed rats revealed early abnormalities in diastolic function followed by late systolic dysfunction and concurrent alterations in myocardial structure. The hearts of the 10-wk sucrose-fed rats showed depressed SR function demonstrated by a significant reduction in SR Ca(2+) uptake. The decline in SR Ca(2+) uptake was associated with a significant decrease in the cAMP-dependent protein kinase and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II-mediated phosphorylation of phospholamban. The results show that abnormalities in cardiac contractile performance and SR function occur at an insulin-resistant stage before the manifestation of overt Type 2 DM.

Published 15 September 2006 in Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, 291(4): C772-80.
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