Abstract
Thiazolidinediones (TZD) are synthetic compounds that are currently used clinically as oral antidiabetic drugs. These synthetic PPARy ligands offer a relatively new line of therapy for the treatment of many human conditions including impaired glucose tolerance type 2 diabetes mellitus and hyperinsulinemia (Willson el al, 2000). Studies using an in vita cell culture model of 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells, have suggested the potential of utilising TZD in animal production for the promotion of adipocyte differentiation (Gerhold et al., 2002) and for the possible manipulation of fat mass development (Aleo et al, 2003). Due to their agonistic behaviour towards PPARy, TZD are also known potent inducers of adipocyte differentiation (Mornson, 2000). The action of TZD on adipose tissue is associated with increased glucose and FA uptake, lipogenesis, and glucose oxidation (Hauner, 2002). Studies both in vivo and in vitro, suggest that PPARy activation by TZD ligands possess the ability to increase and improve insulin sensitivity in tissues which are insulin responsive. In the ruminant, the process of lipogenesis occurs almost entirely in the adipose tissue and is under the control of insulin, The present study was conducted to determine the effect of TZD on fat metabolism in sheep.