Abstract: Objective：To investigate the effects of fish oil on glucose metabolism and phosphatidylinositol 3- kinase（PI3K）/protein Kinase B（Akt）signaling pathway in diabetic KKAy mice. METHODS: Forty KKAy mice were randomly assigned into four groups: diabetic model group, low-dose fish oil group, medium-dose fish oil group and high-dose fish oil group. Ten male C57BL/6 mice served as a non-diabetic control group. Blood and tissue samples were collected after 12 weeks of treatment. The blood glucose, serum insulin, adiponectin, leptin, insulin receptor substrate -1 (IRS-1), PI3K, Akt, Glucose transporter-4(GluT-4) mRNA expressions were detected. Results: Compared with the model group，FBG was reduced significantly in low-dose fish oil group(P<0.01), FINS was increased in low and medium dose of fish oil group (P<0.05), adiponectin level was significantly increased in each fish oil group (P<0.05). In addition, low, medium and high dose group of fish oil can up-regulate gene expression of IRS-1, PI3K, Akt, GluT-4, low dose group of fish oil had more significant effect on the gene expression of Akt and the GluT-4 . Conclusion: Low dose group of fish oil may improve glucose metabolism by regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Key words: Key words：Type 2 diabetes, fish oil, glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, phosphatidylinositol 3- kinase(PI3K) / protein Kinase B (Akt)