ObjectiveTo observe expre with ssions of insulin receptor substrate 1(IRS-1) and ubiquitin-protein in skeletal muscle of non-obese rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus following gastric bypass operation (GBP), and to investigate possible mechanism of GBP in improving insulin resistance. MethodsMale GK rats were randomly divided into diabetic operation group (DO group), diabetic sham operation group (DSO group), and diabetic control group (DC group), 8 rats in each group; besides 8 male Wistar rats were served as normal control group (NC group). Fasting body weight (FBW), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and fasting insulin (FINS) were measured respectively before operation and on week 1, 2, 4 and 8 after operation. Homeostasis model-insulin resistant (HOMA-IR) index was calculated respectively before operation and on week 8 after operation. The expressions of IRS-1 protein and ubiquitin-protein in skeletal muscle were detected by using Western blot method on week 8 after operation. Results① Compared with the preoperative levels, the FBWs on week 1, 2, and 4 after operation markedly decreased (P < 0.05), but it recovered to the preoperative level on week 8 after operation (P > 0.05) in the DO group; which in the DSO group decreased on week 1 after operation (P < 0.05) and then increased on week 4 after operation (P < 0.05); which in the DC group or the NC group increased continuously and had a significant difference on week 8 after operation (P < 0.05).② The FPGs in the DO, DSO and DC groups were significantly higher than those of the NC group before operation (P < 0.05), which in the DO group decreased from (9.10±0.98) mmoL/L before operation to (5.70±0.91) mmol/L on week 8 after operation (P < 0.05) and were significantly lower than those of the DSO group or the DC group on week 2, 4, and 8 after operation (P < 0.05); which in the DC group, DSO group and NC group had no obviously changes between before and after operations (P > 0.05). ③ The FINS had no significant differences among these four groups before operation (P > 0.05), which in the DO group obviously increased[(9.64±1.59) mU/L] on week 2 after operation (P < 0.05) and then obviously decreased[(6.58±1.05) mU/L] on week 8 after operation (P < 0.05) and significantly lower than those of the DSO group or the DC group on week 8 after operation (P < 0.05), while which had no significant difference between before and after operations in the DSO group, the DC group, or the NC group (P > 0.05). ④ The HOMA-IR index in the DO, DSO or DC group was significantly higher than that of the NC group before operation (P < 0.05), which in the DO group markedly decreased from 3.18±0.50 before operation to 1.96±0.63 on week 8 after operation (P < 0.05) and significantly lower than that of the DSO group or the DC group on week 8 after operation (P < 0.05), while which had no significant difference between before and after operations in the DSO group, the DC group, or the NC group (P > 0.05). ⑤ The expression of IRS-1 protein in the DO group was significantly higher than that in the DSO group (P < 0.05) or the DC group (P < 0.05) on week 8 after operation. While there was no significant difference between the DSO and the DC group after operation (P > 0.05). ⑥ Compared with the NC group, the expression of ubiquitin-protein was significantly increased in the DO group, the DSO group, or the DC group (P < 0.05). Compared with the DSO group or the DC group, the expression of ubiquitin-protein was significantly decreased in the DO group on week 8 after operation (P < 0.05), especially it was most obvious near the molecular weight of 180×103. While there was no significant difference between the DSO group and the DC group after operation (P > 0.05). ConclusionsExpression of IRS-1 protein in skeletal muscle insulin signaling pathway in type 2 diabetes mellitus rats following GBP is increased, it might be associated with decreasing ubiquitin-protein level in skeletal muscle, thus reduces the IRS-1 ubiquitin-degradation, increase insulin sensitivity, and improve insulin resistance of skeletal muscle.