Gliclazide treatment of streptozotocin diabetic rats restores GLUT4 protein content and basal glucose uptake in skeletal muscle

Abstract This study examined whether the treatment of streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats with gliclazide (5 mg/kg body weight twice daily orally) increases muscle glucose uptake. Rats were treated (group G, n = 10) or untreated (group D, n = 11) for 12 days. Normal rats served as controls (group C, n = 11). At the end of the treatment, both basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by the perfused hindquarters were measured. In gastrocnemious muscles, the protein content of GLUT4 and the insulin binding and tyrosine kinase activity of partially purified solubilized insulin receptors were measured. Group G had a lower mean glycemic value during the treatment period than group D (mean ± SEM, 17 ± 0.6 v 19.7 ± 0.5 mmol/L, P v 1.3 ± 0.2 μmol/g/h, P P −7 mol/L insulin was higher in group G than in group D (9.2 ± 0.6 v 7.0 ± 0.6 μmol/g/h, P v 57 ± 7 arbitrary units [AU]/μg protein, P