Sirt3 is a member of the sirtuin family of protein deacetylases that is localized in mitochondria and regulates mitochondrial function. Sirt3 expression in skeletal muscle is decreased in models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and regulated by feeding, fasting, and caloric restriction. Sirt3 knockout mice exhibit decreased oxygen consumption and develop oxidative stress in skeletal muscle, leading to JNK activation and impaired insulin signaling. This effect is mimicked by knockdown of Sirt3 in cultured myoblasts, which exhibit reduced mitochondrial oxidation, increased reactive oxygen species, activation of JNK, increased serine and decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1, and decreased insulin signaling. Thus, Sirt3 plays an important role in diabetes through regulation of mitochondrial oxidation, reactive oxygen species production, and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle.mitochondrial metabolism | protein acetylation I nsulin resistance in skeletal muscle is a major and early feature in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (1, 2). This pathological condition has been shown to involve decreased activity of the insulin signaling network with reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and its substrates, decreased activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), and decreased activation of Akt/PKB (protein kinase B), leading to reduced glucose uptake and other metabolic abnormalities (3-5). Another early feature of type 2 diabetes is altered mitochondrial function in muscle. Reduced expression of multiple nuclear-encoded genes involved in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and alterations in mitochondrial morphology have been observed in skeletal muscle of both rodent models of diabetes and humans with type 2 diabetes (6-8). Impaired mitochondrial lipid oxidation and glycolytic capacity have also been observed in individuals with diabetes and obesity, whereas enhanced mitochondrial lipid oxidation capacity has been associated with improved insulin resistance (9, 10). This reduced expression and/or activity of mitochondrial proteins has been closely associated with altered skeletal muscle physiology and metabolism. Some, but not all, studies have found similar alterations in skeletal muscle of individuals with a family history positive for type 2 diabetes (8, 11). Reduced oxidative capacity and reduced ATP synthesis rates have also been shown in individuals with type 2 diabetes and in some nondiabetic individuals with a family history for diabetes (12).In addition to its role in substrate metabolism, the mitochondrion is the major production site of reactive oxygen species (ROS). When ROS level is excessive or there is impaired ROS clearance, the oxidative stress response can activate serine/ threonine kinases such as protein kinase C, S6 kinase, and Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), which can phosphorylate the insulin receptor (IR) and/or insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins (13-15), leading to a decrease in their tyrosine phosphorylation, decreased activation of PI 3-kinase and A...