Abstract 2197 Whole-body ultrasound treatment increases insulin production and lowers fasting blood glucose in aged insulin-resistant mice

Insulin resistance and type II diabetes become increasingly prevalent with advanced age. Exercise training improves blood glucose control. However, implementing exercise interventions in aged populations is challenging, making alternate treatments important. We previously found that pancreatic senescence can be reduced with low-frequency ultrasound treatment (LFU). The purpose of this study was to determine whether whole-body LFU improves blood glucose control in aged insulin-resistant mice. Twenty-one-month-old C57BL/6j mice were fed a high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) or a normal chow (NC) diet for 28 days (n=4-6). Following the initial 14 days of dietary intervention, LFU or sham treatments were administered (30 minutes, 3x/week). The HFHS diet increased body weight (main effect: 41.3%; p<0.0001) and elevated fasting blood glucose and insulin (main effect: 15.6% and 121.3%, respectively; p<0.01). The HFHS diet also impaired glucose tolerance (main effect: 26.6%; p<0.001) measured by blood glucose area under the curve (AUC) during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Insulin sensitivity was impaired by the HFHS diet, indicated by increased HOMA-IR and reduced QUICKI values (main effect: p<0.001). Interestingly, LFU treatment reduced fasting blood glucose (main effect: -13.2%, p<0.01). Furthermore, LFU mice exhibited increased insulin production, indicated by higher insulin AUC during the OGTT and increased HOMA-β values (main effect: p<0.05). Despite increasing insulin secretion during the OGTT, LFU did not improve blood glucose AUC. No changes occurred in muscle or liver mitochondrial respiratory capacity with HFHS diet or LFU. Overall, these preliminary results suggest that LFU lowers fasting blood glucose and increases insulin secretion. Funding for this work was provided by a Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center Pilot Project Grant (MS and BR) and a CPRIT Foundation grant (RR180025; MS).