Fig. 6.

Galectin-12 deficiency reduces insulin resistance and glucose intolerance associated with weight gain. (A and B) AUC was computed from the plot of blood glucose levels as a function of time after intraperitoneal injection of Lgals12^+/+ and Lgals12^−/− mice with insulin (A) or glucose (B). The AUC values, which reflect insulin resistance (A) or glucose intolerance (B), were then plotted as a function of body weight. Note that insulin resistance and glucose intolerance correlate with body weight in Lgals12^+/+ mice (insulin resistance vs. body weight, R² = 0.583, P = 0.002; glucose intolerance vs. body weight, R² = 0.353, P = 0.032). Such correlation was absent in Lgals12^−/− mice (insulin resistance vs. body weight, R² < 0.001, P = 0.933; glucose intolerance vs. body weight, R² = 0.004, P = 0.829). (C) Changes in plasma insulin levels in mice weighing > 30 g during the first hour of the glucose tolerance test. (D and E) Plots of insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, as described in A and B, respectively, as a function of adiposity. Asterisks denote statistical significance (*P < 0.05). Results are representative of three to four experiments.