Glimepiride enhances intrinsic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Glimepiride, a third-generation sulfonylurea (SU), exerts its effects mainly by stimulating insulin secretion but has also been shown to have pleiotropic effects. Recent clinical studies showed glimepiride to enhance insulin sensitivity. In the present study, to clarify the mechanism by which insulin resistance is improved, we investigated the effects of glimepiride on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR gamma) activity, using cultured adipocytes and muscle cells.