Effect of heterozygous PPARγ deficiency and TZD treatment on insulin resistance associated with age and high-fat feeding

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) is the target receptor for thiazolidinedione (TZD) compounds, which are a class of insulin-sensitizing drugs used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Paradoxically, however, mice deficient in PPARγ (PPARγ+/− ) are more insulin sensitive than their wild-type (WT) littermates, not less, as would be predicted. To determine whether PPARγ deficiency could prevent the development of the insulin resistance associated with increasing age or high-fat (HF) feeding, insulin sensitivity was assessed inPPARγ+/− and WT mice at 2, 4, and 8 mo of age and in animals fed an HF diet. Because TZDs elicit their effect through PPARγ receptor, we also examined the effect of troglitazone (a TZD) in these mice. Glucose metabolism was assessed by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and oral glucose tolerance test. Insulin sensitivity declined with age for both groups. However, the decline in thePPARγ+/− animals was substantially less than that of the WT animals, such that, by 8 m...