Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Prevents Free Fatty Acid-Induced Reduction in Glucose Tolerance by Decreasing Insulin Clearance.

The NAD-dependent deacetylase SIRT1 improves ß cell function. Accordingly, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), the product of the rate-limiting step in NAD synthesis, prevents ß cell dysfunction and glucose intolerance in mice fed a high-fat diet. The current study was performed to assess the effects of NMN on ß cell dysfunction and glucose intolerance that are caused specifically by increased circulating free fatty acids (FFAs). NMN was intravenously infused, with or without oleate, in C57BL/6J mice over a 48-h-period to elevate intracellular NAD levels and consequently increase SIRT1 activity. Administration of NMN in the context of elevated plasma FFA levels considerably improved glucose tolerance. This was due not only to partial protection from FFA-induced ß cell dysfunction but also, unexpectedly, to a significant decrease in insulin clearance. However, in conditions of normal FFA levels, NMN impaired glucose tolerance due to decreased ß cell function. The presence of this dual action of NMN suggests caution in its proposed therapeutic use in humans.

Resveratrol prevents insulin resistance caused by short-term elevation of free fatty acids in vivo.

Elevated levels of plasma free fatty acids (FFA), which are commonly found in obesity, induce insulin resistance. FFA activate protein kinases including the proinflammatory IκBα kinase ß (IKKß), leading to serine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and impaired insulin signaling. To test whether resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red wine, prevents FFA-induced insulin resistance, we used a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp with a tracer to assess hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity in overnight-fasted Wistar rats infused for 7 h with saline, Intralipid plus 20 U·mL(-1) heparin (IH; triglyceride emulsion that elevates FFA levels in vivo; 5.5 µL·min(-1)) with or without resveratrol (3 mg·kg(-1)·h(-1)), or resveratrol alone. Infusion of IH significantly decreased glucose infusion rate (GIR; P < 0.05) and peripheral glucose utilization (P < 0.05) and increased endogenous glucose production (EGP; P < 0.05) during the clamp compared with saline infusion. Resveratrol co-infusion, however, completely prevented the effects induced by IH infusion: it prevented the decreases in GIR (P < 0.05 vs. IH), peripheral glucose utilization (P < 0.05 vs. IH), and insulin-induced suppression of EGP (P < 0.05 vs. IH). Resveratrol alone had no effect. Furthermore, IH infusion increased serine (307) phosphorylation of IRS-1 in soleus muscle (∼30-fold, P < 0.001), decreased total IRS-1 levels, and decreased IκBα content, consistent with activation of IKKß. Importantly, all of these effects were abolished by resveratrol (P < 0.05 vs. IH). These results suggest that resveratrol prevents FFA-induced hepatic and peripheral insulin resistance and, therefore, may help mitigate the health consequences of obesity.