Hepatic insulin gene therapy prevents deterioration of vascular function and improves adipocytokine profile in STZ-diabetic rats.

Hepatic insulin gene therapy (HIGT) ameliorates hyperglycemia in diabetic rodents, suggesting that similar approaches may eventually provide a means to improve treatment of diabetes mellitus. However, whether the metabolic and hormonal changes produced by HIGT benefit vascular function remains unclear. The impact of HIGT on endothelium-dependent vasodilation, nitrosyl-hemoglobin content (NO-Hb), and insulin sensitivity were studied using aortic ring preparations, electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR), homeostasis assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) calculations, and insulin tolerance testing (ITT).