Oxidative stress and
mitochondrial dysfunction are known to play important roles in
type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and
insulin resistance. However, the pathology of T2DM remains complicated; in particular, the mechanisms of
mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle and other
insulin-sensitive tissues are as yet unclear. In the present study, we investigated the underlying mechanisms of oxidative stress and
mitochondrial dysfunction by focusing on mitochondrial dynamics, including mitochondrial biogenesis and autophagy, in skeletal muscle of a nonobese diabetic animal model--the Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat. The results showed that GK rats exhibited impaired
glucose metabolism, increased oxidative stress and decreased mitochondrial function. These dysfunctions were found to be associated with induction of LC3B,
Beclin1 and DRP1 (key molecules mediating the autophagy pathway), while they appeared not to affect the mitochondrial biogenesis pathway. In addition, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was tested as a potential autophagy-targeting nutrient, and we found that EGCG treatment improved
glucose tolerance and
glucose homeostasis in GK rats, and reduced oxidative stress and
mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle. Amelioration of excessive muscle autophagy in GK rats through the down-regulation of the ROS-ERK/JNK-p53 pathway leads to improvement of
glucose metabolism, reduction of oxidative stress and inhibition of mitochondrial loss and dysfunction. These results suggest (a) that
hyperglycemia-associated oxidative stress may induce autophagy through up-regulation of the ROS-ERK/JNK-p53 pathway, which may contribute to mitochondrial loss in soleus muscle of diabetic GK rats, and (b) that EGCG may be a potential autophagy regulator useful in treatment of
insulin resistance.