Resveratrol improves high-fat diet induced insulin resistance by rebalancing subsarcolemmal mitochondrial oxidation and antioxidantion

Although resveratrol (RES) is thought to be a key regulator of insulin sensitivity in rodents, the exact mechanism underlying this effect remains unclear. Therefore, we sought to investigate how RES affects skeletal muscle oxidative and antioxidant levels of subsarcolemmal (SS) and intermyofibrillar (IMF) mitochondrial populations in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin resistance (IR) rats. Systemic and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity together with expressions of several genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis and skeletal muscle SIRT1, SIRT3 protein levels were studied in rats fed a normal diet, a HFD, and a HFD with intervention of RES for 8 weeks. Oxidative stress levels and antioxidant enzyme activities were assessed in SS and IMF mitochondria. HFD fed rats exhibited obvious systemic and skeletal muscle IR as well as decreased SIRT1 and SIRT3 expressions, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and mitochondrial biogenesis (p < 0.05). Both SS and IMF mitochondria demonstrated elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. In addition, SS mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly lower, while IMF mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme activities were higher (p < 0.05). By contrast, RES treatment protected rats against diet induced IR, increased SIRT1 and SIRT3 expressions, mtDNA, and mitochondrial biogenesis (p < 0.05). Moreover, the activities of SS and IMF mitochondrial antioxidant enzymes were increased, which reverted the increased SS mitochondrial oxidative stress levels (p < 0.05). This study suggests that RES ameliorates insulin sensitivity consistent with improved SIRT3 expressions and rebalance between SS mitochondrial oxidative stress and antioxidant competence in HFD rats.