Elevated NF-kB Activation Is Conserved in Human Myocytes Cultured From Obese Type 2 Diabetic Patients and Attenuated by AMP-Activated Protein Kinase

OBJECTIVE—To examine whether the inflammatory phenotype found in obese and diabetic individuals is preserved in isolated, cultured myocytes and to assess the effectiveness of pharmaco-logical AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation upon the attenuation of inflammation in these myocytes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Muscle precursor cells were isolated from four age-matched subject groups: 1) nonobese, normal glucose tolerant; 2) obese, normal glucose tolerant; 3) obese, impaired glucose tolerant; and 4) obese, type 2 diabetes (T2D). The level of inflammation (nuclear factor-kB [NF-kB] signaling) and effect of pharmacological AMPK activation was assessed by Western blots, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and radioac-tive assays (n = 5 for each subject group). RESULTS—NF-kB-p65 DNA binding activity was significantly elevated in myocytes from obese T2D patients compared wit