Transcriptional alterations in response to insulin and glucagon in the murine liver

The analysis identified 122 genes displaying responses to insulin and/or glucagon administration in the liver of WT male mice. Of 122 genes, 75 genes responded in a insulin-selected manner, 29 genes in a glucagon-selected manner, and 18 genes were regulated by both of insulin and glucagon 60 min after stimulation with each hormone. Insulin upregulated expression of 45 genes including Btg2, Ddit4, and Rasgef1b, downregulated 30 genes such as Arrdc3 Rgs16, and Txnip. Glucagon upregulated expression of 15 genes including Chordc1 and Gck, and downregulated expression of 14 genes such as Mt2 and Lcn2. Seventeen genes showed transcriptional upregulation in response to both insulin and glucagon including Hspa1b, Nr4a1 Trp53inp1, and one gene, Orm2, displayed downregulation after stimulation of insulin or glucagon. The livers were removed from mice (C57BL6/j) 60 min after intraperitoneal injection with PBS, with 0.75 IU of recombinant human insulin, or with glucagon 50 ng/g body weight. Total RNA extracted from the livers of five mice of each experimental group and mixed for the microarray analysis.