The vascular actions of insulin may contribute to the increase in glucose uptake by skeletal
muscle. We have recently shown that when capillary recruitment by insulin is blocked in
vivo, an acute state of insulin resistance is induced. Another agent that may have vascular
effects is the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which has been
reported to play an important role in the insulin resistance of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and
sepsis in both animals and humans. Thus, in the present study, we have investigated the …

Apart from its direct metabolic actions on skeletal muscle, insulin is now recognized to have
major actions upon the skeletal muscle's vascular system. Insulin increases muscle glucose
uptake by a direct action to increase glucose transporter number but also by increasing
blood flow to capillaries. In many insulin resistant states such as obesity and diabetes, the
vascular actions of insulin as well as signalling pathways within muscle are impaired. Tumor
necrosis factor alpha (TNF [Alpha]) is an important mediator of insulin resistance in obesity …