Curcumin improves high glucose-induced INS-1 cell insulin resistance via activation of insulin signaling

Food Funct. 2015 Feb;6(2):461-9. doi: 10.1039/c4fo00608a.

Abstract

Curcumin is a yellow pigment isolated from Corcuma longan. This research investigates the improvement of curcumin on INS-1 cells with insulin resistance induced by high glucose. INS-1 cells were treated with high glucose (30 mmol L(-1)) for 48 h. Subsequently, the medium was replaced with curcumin for 24 h. Curcumin effectively increased insulin gene expression and glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism of curcumin-induced insulin expression and secretion in high glucose-induced INS-1 cells was investigated in this study. Curcumin increased the expression of glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) and phosphorylation of insulin receptor (IR), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and AKT in the INS-1 cells. Moreover, curcumin stimulation increased the expression of PDX-1 and GCK. This investigation suggests that curcumin prevented high glucose-reduced insulin expression and secretion through activation of the PI3K/Akt/GLUT2 pathway in INS-1 cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Curcumin / pharmacology*
  • Glucokinase / genetics
  • Glucokinase / metabolism
  • Glucose / administration & dosage
  • Glucose / adverse effects*
  • Glucose / analysis
  • Glucose Transporter Type 2 / genetics
  • Glucose Transporter Type 2 / metabolism
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins / genetics
  • Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins / metabolism
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Insulin Secretion
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / drug effects*
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / genetics
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Receptor, Insulin / genetics
  • Receptor, Insulin / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Glucose Transporter Type 2
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Insulin
  • Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Slc2a2 protein, rat
  • Trans-Activators
  • pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 protein
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Glucokinase
  • Receptor, Insulin
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Curcumin
  • Glucose