Abstract

Insulin resistance plays an important role in the development of such abnormalities as impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia. The rates of these diseases are increasing and their cardiovascular complications are among the most common causes of death worldwide. The discovery of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP-1B) seems to be a milestone in the investigation of insulin signaling transmission. PTP-1B is considered a negative regulator of insulin signaling, mainly through insulin receptor dephosphorylation. In animal model studies (Elchebly et al.) there was a significant increase in insulin sensitivity of PTP-1B knock-out mice. There is also evidence that higher expression of the PTP-1B gene causes insulin resistance in humans. PTP-1B inhibitors could thus be promising drugs for insulin resistance therapy. The object of this review is to present current evidence of PTP-1B's role in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance abnormalities and the potential treatment of these disorders.