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Published on: September 7, 2013
The melanocortin agonist melanotan II increases insulin sensitivity in OLETF rats
Ryouichi Banno1, Hiroshi Arima, Ikuko Sato
1Department of Metabolic Diseases, Field of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
Abstract:
Effects of peripheral administration of melanotan II (MTII), a melanocortin agonist, on insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance were examined in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats. Subcutaneous administration of MTII with osmotic mini-pumps decreased food intake and body weight in OLETF rats. MTII group showed more sensitivity to insulin compared with that allowed to eat ad libitum or pair-fed group in insulin tolerance tests on day 9. MTII group also showed significantly lower glucose values than ad libitum group in glucose tolerance tests on days 11 and 23. Thus, MTII increased insulin sensitivity and improved glucose tolerance in OLETF rats.
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