Reversible insulin resistance helps Bactrian camels survive fasting

Camels have hunger tolerance and can adapt to the severe environment of the desert. Through the comparison of insulin signalling pathway genes in different tissues in different eating periods (feeding, fasting and recovery feeding), it was found that IRS1, PIK3CB, PIK3R1 and SLC2A4 expression was significantly downregulated in the fore hump and hind hump during the fasting period. In addition, there was no difference in serum insulin levels among the three stages. However, the serum leptin and adiponectin levels decreased significantly during fasting. Additionally, insulin tolerance tests during the three stages showed that camels were insensitive to insulin during fasting. Further study of the serum metabolites showed that serum branched-chain and aromatic amino acid levels increased during the fasting period. Finally, analysis of microbial diversity in camel faeces at different stages showed that during the fasting period, the proportion of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria increased, while that of Bacteroides and the butyrate-producing bacterium Roseburia decreased. The results of this study show that fasting is accompanied by changes in the activation of insulin pathways in various camel tissues, normal insulin levels, and increased lipolysis and insulin resistance, which return to normal after eating.