Insulin resistance is a key condition in the development of
type 2 diabetes. It is well established that exacerbated Jun NH2-terminal
kinase (JNK) activity is involved in promoting
insulin resistance in peripheral
insulin-target tissues; however, this involvement is less documented in pancreatic β-cells. Using a transgenic mouse model, here we show that JNK activation in β-cells led to
glucose intolerance as a result of impaired capacity to increase insulinemia in response to
hyperglycemia. Pancreatic islets from these mice showed no obvious morphostructural abnormalities or decreased
insulin content. In contrast, these islets failed to secrete
insulin in response to
glucose or
insulin but were competent in
succinate-, ketoisocaproate-,
3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (
IBMX-), KCl-, and
tolbutamide-induced insulin secretion. At the molecular level, JNK activation in β-cells inhibited
insulin-induced Akt phosphorylation, pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, and transcription of
insulin-target genes. Remarkably,
rosiglitazone restored insulin secretion in response to
hyperglycemia in mice and
insulin-induced insulin secretion and signaling in isolated islets. In conclusion, the mere activation of JNK suffices to induce
insulin resistance in pancreatic β-cells by inhibition of
insulin signaling in these cells, but it is not sufficient to elicit β-cell death. In addition, we provide the first evidence that
thiazolidinediones exert
insulin-sensitizing action directly on pancreatic β-cells.