Fimasartan Ameliorates Deteriorations in Glucose Metabolism in a High Glucose State by Regulating Skeletal Muscle and Liver Cells

Purpose: Since diabetes and hypertension frequently occur together, it is thought that these conditions may have a common patho-genesis. This study was designed to evaluate the anti-diabetic function of the anti-hypertensive drug fimasartan on C2C12 mouse skeletal muscle and HepG2 human liver cells in a high glucose state. Materials and Methods: The anti-diabetic effects and mechanism of fimasartan were identified using Western blot, glucose uptake tests, oxygen consumption rate (OCR) analysis, adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunofluorescence staining for diabetic biomarkers in C2C12 cells. Protein biomarkers for glycogenolysis and glycogenesis were evaluated by Western blotting and ELISA in HepG2 cells. Results: The protein levels of phosphorylated 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), p-AKT, insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), and glucose transporter type 4 (Glut4) were elevated in C2C12 cells treated with fimasartan. These increases were reversed by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPAR delta) antagonist. ATP, OCR, and glucose uptake were increased in cells treated with 200 mu M fimasartan. Protein levels of glycogen phosphorylase, glucose synthase, phosphorylated glycogen synthase, and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) were decreased in HepG2 cells treated with fimasartan. However, these effects were reversed following the addition of the PPAR delta antagonist GSK0660. Conclusion: In condusion, fimasartan ameliorates deteriorations in glucose metabolism as a result of a high glucose state by regulating PPAR delta in skeletal muscle and liver cells.