Cyanidin-3-rutinoside increases glucose uptake by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

- C3R significantly increased glucose uptake, which was associated with PM-GLUT4 expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
- C3R enhanced IRS-1 and Akt, as well as augmented activation of PI3K in the insulin signaling pathway.
- C3R induced glucose uptake was inhibited only by the PI3K inhibitor.

In this study, the effect of cyanidin-3-rutinoside (C3R) on glucose uptake by 3T3-L1 adipocytes was studied. C3R significantly increased glucose uptake, which was associated with enhanced plasma membrane glucose transporter type 4 (PM-GLUT4) expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The potentiating effect of C3R on glucose uptake and PM-GLUT4 expression was related to enhanced phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and Akt, as well as augmented activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) in the insulin signaling pathway. C3R induced glucose uptake was inhibited only by the PI3K inhibitor, but not by an AMPK inhibitor in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Therefore, C3R likely up-regulates glucose uptake and PM-GLUT4 expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by activating the PI3K/Akt pathways.