Vascular effects of insulin

Insulin affects the vascular tone through multiple and complex mechanisms involving both vasodilator and vasoconstrictor pathways (Fig. 1) that are further regulated by specific physiologic and pathologic conditions, including insulin resistance. Insulin receptors are present on both endothelial and smooth muscle cells. In the former, binding to the receptor leads to the activation of nitric oxide (NO) synthase and the release of prostaglandin I2 (PgI2) through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling, while through the RAF/mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade the synthesis of Endothelin-1 is enhanced.

Source: Metabolism - Clinical and Experimental - September 22, 2021 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Andrea Natali, Lorenzo Nesti Source Type: research