SIRT2 is required for in vivo tissue‐specific and whole body insulin action in mice
Authors: Lantier Louise , Williams Ashley S. , Hughey Curtis C. , Bracy Deanna , Gius David , Wasserman David H. 
Published: June 2021

High fat (HF) feeding impairs insulin action and, subsequently glucose homeostasis. A reduction in insulin‐mediated skeletal muscle glucose uptake (MGU) in response to HF feeding is a key contributor to dysregulated glucose homeostasis in the insulin resistant state. Increased skeletal muscle lysine acetylation, a post‐translational modification, has been reported to mediate insulin resistance in response to HF feeding. Indeed, skeletal muscle mitochondrial protein hyperacetylation precipitates insulin resistance. However, the impact of hyperacetylation in the cytosolic compartment is unknown.

Hyperinsulinemic‐euglycemic (insulin) clamps combined with isotopic tracers were completed to assess the role of cytosolic hyperacetylation on insulin‐stimulated skeletal muscle glucose utilization in the conscious, unrestrained mouse. Genetic and dietary means were used to increase skeletal muscle cytosolic acetylation. Specifically, mice with a whole‐body knockout (KO) of the predominant cytosolic NAD+‐dependent deacetylase, Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2), and wildtype (WT) littermates were fed a low fat (LF) or HF diet. The hypothesis tested was that loss of SIRT2 would induce cytosolic hyperacetylation leading to impaired MGU in the presence of high‐physiological circulating insulin. It was also hypothesized that this impairment in insulin action would be worsened with a HF diet.

LF SIRT2 KO mice exhibited higher skeletal muscle protein acetylation compared to LF WT mice, but similar to levels observed in HF WT mice. Skeletal muscle acetylation was increased in HF WT mice compared to LF WT mice, but not HF SIRT2 KO mice in relation to either LF SIRT2 KO or HF WT mice. LF SIRT2 KO mice exhibited a 27% reduction in insulin‐stimulated MGU compared to LF WT mice (gastrocnemius; p<0.05, n=7–9). This impairment was exacerbated in HF SIRT2 KO mice compared to HF‐WT type mice as gastrocnemius glucose uptake was reduced by 43% (p<0.001, n=12–13). While our experiments were designed to probe muscle glucose metabolism, our in vivo approach allowed us to uncover an additional contributor to insulin resistance in HF SIRT2 KO mice. The ability of insulin to suppress endogenous glucose production was significantly impaired in the HF SIRT2 KO mice (n=7–13). This suggests liver glucose formation is not effectively attenuated by insulin in HF SIRT2 KO mice.

In summary, the increased lysine acetylation induced by HF feeding has been implicated in promoting insulin resistance. Extensive study has linked mitochondrial hyperacetylation to impaired insulin action. Here we show that increased acetylation in the cytosol compartment profoundly reduces insulin‐stimulated MGU. Furthermore, our in vivo approach identified a regulatory role for cytosolic hyperacetylation in the control of liver glucose production.

Support or Funding Information

NIH DK054902, DK050277

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.