Analysis of dexamethasone treatment effcts on insulin secretion, molecular and biochemical parameters in submitted to protein restriction

Orientador: Jose Roberto BosqueiroTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de BiologiaResumo: A desnutrição e a resistência periférica à insulina induzida por administração de glicocorticóides induzem compensações funcionais e morfológicas em ilhotas pan creáticas a fim de manter a homeostase glicêmica. Deste modo, investigamos as alterações desenvolvidas pelo tratamento com dexametasona (Dex) em animais submetidos à restrição protéica. Foram analisados: parâmetros metabólicos, secreção de insulina em resp osta a glicose e proteínas envolvidas na via de sinalização da insulina em ilhotas pancreáticas isoladas. Ratos submetidos à dieta hipoprotéica (LP) apresentaram características padrões que caracterizam a desnutrição como: diminuição de ganho de massa corp oral, redução dos níveis séricos de albumina, proteína total e insulina. Adicionalmente, os ratos LP exibiram aumento da sensibilidade periférica à insulina e redução da área das ilhotas pancreáticas comparadas ao grupo controle ( P < 0,05). Todos estes parâmetros apresentaram valores similares ao grupo controle nos ratos submetidos à dieta hipoprotéica e submetidos ao tratamento com Dex (LPD), exceto para o peso corpóreo ( P < 0,05). A secreção de insulina em ilhotas pancreáticas isoladas de ratos LPD aprese ntou maior responsividade à glicose, em níveis estimulatórios, comparados a secreção em ilhotas de ratos LP (P < 0,05). Paralelo aos resultados de secreção, os ratos LPD exibiram redução do conteúdo protéico de IRS-1, IRS-2 e aumento dos níveis protéicos d e p-FoxO1, p-ERK e PKC comparados ao grupo LP (P < 0,05). Concomitantemente, as ilhotas dos ratos LPD mostraram ¿se hipertrofiadas comparadas com ilhotas de ratos LP ( P < 0,05). Em conclusão, o tratamento com dexametasona reverte, ao menos parcialmente, os efeitos no metabolismo analisados e no funcionamento das ilhotas pancreáticas causados pela restrição protéica, confirmando a grande plasticidade das células ß frente a condições adversas facultativas e/ou permanentesAbstract: Malnutrition caused by protein restriction and dexamethasone -induced insulin resistance, in vivo treatment (Dex) are conditions associated with morphological and functional alterations in pancreatic islets. Thus, the present study evaluated the dexamethasone treatment effects on the metabolic parameters, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and proteins involved in the insulin - signalling pathway over low protein diet fed rats (LP). LP rats showed decrease in body weight, serum insulin, total serum protein, and serum albumin, patte rns that characterize the LP rats. Moreover, LP rats presented improved peripheral insulin sensibility and reduced islets area (P < 0,05). Except for the body weight (P < 0,05), all these parameters were proned to be normalized in rats exposed to a low protein diet and treated with dexamethasone (LPD), whose islets showed increased glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). In addition, LPD rats showed lower protein expression of IRS-1, IRS-2 and higher in p-FoxO1, p-ERK and PKC, while presenting pancreatic islet hypertrophy compared to LP rats islet. In conclusion, dexamethasone treatment revert the effects related to metabolism and islet function caused by diet protein restriction, confirming ß-cells wide plasticity, even in transient or lasting adverse conditionsDoutoradoFisiologiaDoutor em Biologia Funcional e Molecula

Exercise training prevents hyperinsulinemia, muscular glycogen loss and muscle atrophy induced by dexamethasone treatment

This study investigated whether exercise training could prevent the negative side effects of dexamethasone. Rats underwent a training period and were either submitted to a running protocol (60% physical capacity, 5 days/week for 8 weeks) or kept sedentary. After this training period, the animals underwent dexamethasone treatment (1 mg/kg per day, i.p., 10 days). Glycemia, insulinemia, muscular weight and muscular glycogen were measured from blood and skeletal muscle. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein was analyzed in skeletal muscles. Dexamethasone treatment evoked body weight loss (-24%), followed by muscular atrophy in the tibialis anterior (-25%) and the extensor digitorum longus (EDL, -15%). Dexamethasone also increased serum insulin levels by 5.7-fold and glucose levels by 2.5-fold compared to control. The exercise protocol prevented atrophy of the EDL and insulin resistance. Also, dexamethasone-treated rats showed decreased muscular glycogen (-41%), which was further attenuated by the exercise protocol. The VEGF protein expression decreased in the skeletal muscles of dexamethasone-treated rats and was unaltered by the exercise protocol. These data suggest that exercise attenuates hyperglycemia and may also prevent insulin resistance, muscular glycogen loss and muscular atrophy, thus suggesting that exercise may have some benefits during glucocorticoid treatment.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP