Coptisine alleviates insulin resistance by suppressing SMARCE1-mediated glycolysis

Insulin resistance (IR) is a central pathological feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome, with dysregulated glycolytic metabolism in adipose tissue playing a critical role. Coptisine (Cop), a natural alkaloid, has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and glucose-lowering properties; however, its mechanism in IR remains unclear.c Using both high-fat diet (HFD)-induced IR mice and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-stimulated adipocytes, this study systematically evaluated the effects of Cop on insulin sensitivity and glycolytic metabolism. Techniques including glucose tolerance tests (GTTs), insulin tolerance tests (ITTs), Seahorse metabolic analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were employed to investigate the underlying mechanisms and the involvement of the key molecular target SMARCE1. Cop markedly improved IR in HFD-fed mice, reducing serum insulin levels, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and ameliorating adipose tissue architecture. In adipocyte models, Cop decreased levels of glycolytic metabolites lactate and pyruvate, expression of key glycolytic enzymes, includinng hexokinase 2 (HK2), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), as well as extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). Further experiments revealed that Cop significantly inhibited SMARCE1 expression under IR conditions, while SMARCE1 overexpression reversed its inhibitory effects on glycolysis. In vivo studies confirmed that SMARCE1 overexpression exacerbated IR and up-regulated glycolytic enzyme expression in mice. Cop ameliorates IR by targeting SMARCE1-mediated suppression of glycolytic flux. These findings elucidate both the mechanistic basis and therapeutic potential of Cop for the treatment of metabolic disorders.