Methotrexate Increases Skeletal Muscle GLUT4 Expression and Improves Metabolic Control in Experimental Diabetes

Figure 1

(a)  GLUT4 mRNA expression in muscle specimens collected from normoglycemic 𝑑𝑏⁺/⁺𝑚 mice and diabetic 𝑑𝑏⁺/𝑑𝑏⁺ mice treated with either vehicle (white bars) or methotrexate (black bars). The upper panel shows representative gels highlighting GLUT4 mRNA expression. The lower panel shows quantitative data and represents the mean ± SD of seven experiments. ^∗𝑃<0.01 versus 𝑑𝑏⁺/𝑑𝑏⁺ plus vehicle. (b) Western blot analysis of the GLUT4 protein in muscle specimens from normoglycemic 𝑑𝑏⁺/⁺𝑚 mice and diabetic 𝑑𝑏⁺/𝑑𝑏⁺ mice treated with either vehicle (white bars) or methotrexate (black bars). The upper panel shows representative autoradiography highlighting GLUT4 protein expression. The lower panel shows quantitative data and represents the mean ± SD of seven experiments. ^∗𝑃<0.01 versus 𝑑𝑏⁺/𝑑𝑏⁺ plus vehicle; ^†𝑃<0.05 versus 𝑑𝑏⁺/⁺𝑚 plus vehicle.

(a)

(b)