Abstract

BACKGROUND
Recent clinical studies suggest that statins improve insulin resistance and glucose metabolism in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. To evaluate the possible mechanism of this action, we measured free fatty acid oxidation in cultured L6 rat skeletal muscle cell line. METHODS: Cultured L6 myotubes were treated with or without lovastatin (1, 5, 20 micrometer) for 24 hours or 48 hours and palmitate oxidation was measured. We also measured protein concentration of the cells. RESULTS: Lovastain increased palmitate oxidation in dose and time dependent manner in L6 myotubes (24 hr; 1 micrometer 119.2 +/- 11.9% of control, 5 micrometer 140.9 +/- 8.1%, 20 micrometer 150 +/- 5%, P = 0.05 vs control, respectively, 48 hr 1 micrometer 120.9 +/- 14.5%, 5 micrometer 176.6 +/- 28.2%, 20 micrometer 196.0 +/- 19.9%, P < 0.01 vs control, respectively). However, lovastatin decreased total cellular protein (24 hr: 1 micrometer 89.2 +/- 6.1% of control, 5 micrometer 79.3 +/- 7.6%, 20 micrometer 65.4 +/- 4.2%, P = 0.05 vs control, respectively, 48 hr: 1 micrometer 81.7 +/- 5.1%, 5 micrometer 58.6 +/- 11.9%, 20 micrometer 48.1 +/- 6.9%, P < 0.01 vs control, respectively). CONCLUSION: Lovastatin increased skeletal muscle free fatty acid oxidation in L6 rat skeletal muscle cells. This would be one of the mechanisms which lovastatin improves insulin resistance.

• Keywords: Fatty acid oxidation;Skeletal muscle;Statins