The present study was designed to investigate the possible role of Mg2+ in suppression of
phosphoenolpyruvate carboxy
kinase (PEPCK)
enzyme via inhibition of FOXO1gene expression in liver and we also examined whether Mg contributes to decrease
blood glucose in muscle via inhibiting FOXO1 gene and
protein expression. Fifty rats in five groups of experiment were considered as; non-diabetic control (NDC), Mg2+-treated non-diabetic control (Mg2+-NDC), chronic diabetic (CD), Mg2+-treated chronic diabetic (Mg2+-CD), and
insulin-treated chronic diabetic (Ins-CD).
Streptozotocin (STZ) was used for diabetes induction. The Mg2+-CD and Mg2+-NDC groups received 10 g/l of
magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) added to
drinking water, and Ins-CD group received 2.5 U/kg of
insulin. The
blood glucose level and
body weight were measured weekly. After 16 weeks, intraperitoneal
glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was done and blood samples were taken to determine the plasma levels of Mg and gastrocnemius muscle legs, and liver were isolated for both
Forkhead transcription factor (FOXO1) and PEPCK
enzyme genes and
proteins expression. Administration of MgSO4 improved IPGTT, lowered
blood glucose levels and decreased FOXO1 and PEPCK genes and
proteins expression in muscle and liver, while
insulin just could decrease FOXO1 gene and
protein expression in the muscle. These findings illustrated that MgSO4 improved
hyperglycemia via inhibition of FOXO1 gene and
protein level in the muscle and liver, and it also decreased
blood glucose level by prohibition of gluconeogenesis pathway in the liver. However, long time administration of
insulin did not have any effect on liver.