Targeted delivery of HGF to the skeletal muscle improves glucose homeostasis in diet-induced obese mice

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a cytokine that increases glucose transport ex vivo in skeletal muscle. The aim of this work was to decipher the impact of whether conditional overexpression of HGF in vivo could improve glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in mouse skeletal muscle. Following tetracyclin administration, muscle HGF levels were augmented threefold in transgenic mice (SK-HGF) compared to control mice without altering plasma HGF levels. In conditions of normal diet, SK-HGF mice showed no differences in body weight, plasma triglycerides, blood glucose, plasma insulin and glucose tolerance compared to control mice. Importantly, obese SK-HGF mice exhibited improved whole-body glucose tolerance independently of changes in body weight or plasma triglyceride levels compared to control mice. This effect on glucose homeostasis was associated with significantly higher (∼80 %) levels of phosphorylated protein kinase B in muscles from SK-HGF mice compared to control mice. In conclusion, muscle expression of HGF counteracts obesity-mediated muscle insulin resistance and improves glucose tolerance in mice.