Disrupting the heart cell's internal clock differently affects how insulin works in the heart

Genetic disruption of the circadian clock in specific heart cells led to altered insulin signaling and increased activation of the Akt pathway.

• Disruption of the circadian clock in heart cells changed the expression of several components involved in insulin signaling.
• Baseline and insulin-mediated activation of the Akt protein was increased in hearts with disrupted circadian clocks.
• Insulin-mediated glucose utilization was reduced in genetically modified hearts, potentially due to decreased levels of Inhibitor-1.
• Increased Akt activation was linked to persistent activation of mTOR signaling, which affected processes like protein synthesis and cell growth.
• Treatment with rapamycin normalized heart size in mice with disrupted circadian clocks, indicating a potential therapeutic approach.

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