Ventricular dysfunction in type 2 diabetic patients is becoming apparent early after diagnosis of diabetes, but the cellular mechanisms contributing to this dysfunction are not well established. Our group has recently identified cardiomyocyte dysfunction in diet-induced insulin resistant rats that have not developed type 2 diabetes. The present investigation was designed to determine cellular mechanisms contributing to slowed cardiomyocyte relaxation in sucrose (SU)-fed rats. SU-feeding was used to induce whole-body insulin resistance. After 9-12 weeks on diet, isolated ventricular myocyte shortening/relengthening were slower in SU-fed adult male Wistar rats (42-63%) compared to starch (ST)-fed controls. Cytosolic Ca2+ removal attributable to Na+/Ca2+ exchange (NCX) and to sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) was evaluated with fluo-3/AM. Caffeine-releasable Ca2+ and cytosolic Ca2+ clearing through NCX were normal, whereas Ca2+ uptake by SERCA was significantly slower in SU myocytes (330+/-29 ms) compared to ST cells (253+/-16 ms). Protein levels for SERCA, NCX and phospholamban were not affected by SU-feeding. Manipulating intracellular Ca2+ with various positive inotropic interventions (e.g. post-rest potentiation, isoproterenol) and changes in stimulus frequency demonstrated that mechanical properties can be improved in subsets of myocytes. Thus, we conclude that impaired SERCA activity (with normal protein content) contributes to cardiomyocyte dysfunction in insulin resistant animals, whereas NCX function and expression are normal. These results suggest that subtle changes in Ca2+ regulation which occur prior to overt ventricular dysfunction/failure, may be common to early stages of a number of disorders involving insulin resistance (e.g. diabetes, obesity, syndrome X and hypertension).