The effect of interleukin-6 and the interleukin-6 receptor on glucose transport in mouse skeletal muscle

Gray, S. R. , Ratkevicius, A., Wackerhage, H., Coats, P. and Nimmo, M. A. (2009) The effect of interleukin-6 and the interleukin-6 receptor on glucose transport in mouse skeletal muscle. Experimental Physiology, 94(8), pp. 899-905. (doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.2009.048173) (PMID:19482899)

Abstract

Exercise results in an increase in interleukin-6 (IL-6), its receptor (IL-6R) and skeletal muscle glucose transport. Interleukin-6 has been found to have equivocal effects on glucose transport, with no studies, to our knowledge, investigating any potential role of IL-6R. In the present study, we hypothesized that a combined preparation of IL-6 and soluble IL-6R (sIL-6R) would stimulate glucose transport. Mouse soleus muscles were incubated with physiological and supraphysiological concentrations of IL-6 and a combination of IL-6 and sIL-6R. Total and phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Protein Kinase B (PKB/Akt) were also measured by Western blotting. Exposure to both physiological (80 pg ml−1) and supraphysiological IL-6 (120 ng ml−1) had no effect on glucose transport. At physiological levels, exposure to a combination of IL-6 and sIL-6R (32 ng ml−1) resulted in a 1.4-fold increase (P < 0.05) in basal glucose transport with no change to the phosphorylation of AMPK. Exposure to supraphysiological levels of IL-6 and sIL-6R (120 ng ml−1) resulted in an approximately twofold increase (P < 0.05) in basal glucose transport and an increase (P < 0.05) in AMPK phosphorylation. No effect of IL-6 or sIL-6R was observed on insulin-stimulated glucose transport. These findings demonstrate that, while IL-6 alone does not stimulate glucose transport in mouse soleus muscle, when sIL-6R is introduced glucose transport is directly stimulated, partly through AMPK-dependent signalling.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Gray, Professor Stuart
• Authors: Gray, S. R., Ratkevicius, A., Wackerhage, H., Coats, P., and Nimmo, M. A.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
• Journal Name: Experimental Physiology
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• ISSN: 0958-0670
• ISSN (Online): 1469-445X