Insulin resistance and a diabetes mellitus-like syndrome in mice lacking the protein kinase Akt2 (PKB beta)

Glucose homeostasis depends on insulin responsiveness in target tissues, mo st importantly, muscle and Liver. The critical initial steps in insulin act ion include phosphorylation of scaffolding proteins and activation of phosp hatidylinositol 3-kinase. These early events Lead to activation of the seri ne-threonine protein kinase Akt, also known as protein kinase B. We show th at mice deficient in Akt2 are impaired in the ability of insulin to Lower b lood glucose because of defects in the action of the hormone on Liver and s keletal muscle. These data establish Akt2 as an essential gene in the maint enance of normal glucose homeostasis.