Glucose uptake during exercise: important role of AMP-activated protein kinase and nitric oxide?

Funded Activity Summary

Almost one in four Australians aged 25 and over has either diabetes or impaired glucose metabolism. In people with type 2 diabetes the rate of glucose uptake into muscles in response to insulin is reduced. However, glucose uptake during exercise is normal. Therefore, the hyperglycaemia of diabetes tends to normalise during exercise. The signals within the muscle which result in glucose uptake during exercise are largely undefined, but are known to differ to to that of insulin. This project will determine whether the skeletal muscle enzymes AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) play a critical role in the activation of glucose uptake during exercise. Exercise is considered the best prevention and treatment option for diabetes. Unfortunately, approximately 50% of people with diabetes do not exercise regularly with adherence to exercise programs being poor. Therefore, other alternatives must be sought to effectively manage diabetes. If it is found that skeletal muscle AMPK and-or NOS regulate glucose uptake during exercise, efforts can then be made to design drugs for diabetics that mimic these exercise effects on skeletal muscle glucose uptake resulting in improved glycemic control and consequently reduced diabetic complications.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2003

End Date: 01-01-2005

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $379,875.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Basic pharmacology

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) | Exercise | Glucose uptake | Insulin resistance | Metabolic syndrome | Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) | Skeletal muscle | Type 2 diabetes

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