Jonas Møller Kristensen

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ResearcherID: A-3249-2017

Scopus ID: 35831810100

Primary fields of research

AMPK regulation, Metformin, Insulin sensitivity.

Current research

Metformin in the regulation of AMPK signalling in muscle and fat tissue.

Metformin is a drug used since the fifties in the treatment of elevated blood glucose in patients with insulin resistance like type II diabetes mellitus. Metformin enhances the ability of skeletal muscle to extract glucose and enhances muscle insulin sensitivity. The molecular mechanism for these effects of metformin are however largely unknown.

AMPK, (5´AMP activated protein kinase is a cellular energy sensor. AMPK is activated by cellular stress inducing a negative energy balance as indicated by an elevate cellular AMP/ATP ratio. For example, AMPK activity is increased by muscle contractile activity during exercise, and recently AMPK activation was related to muscular insulin sensitivity. New studies have also implicated AMPK in the mechanism by which metformin affects muscular glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

The aims of this project are to investigate the acute and chronic effects of metformin in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in man as well as in animal models. Causality between AMPK signaling, metformin and biological end points will be studied.