The insulin receptor is expressed as two isoforms that differ by a 12-amino acid region at the carboxy-terminus of the alpha-subunit encoded by exon 11. These isoforms are produced by tissue-specific alternate splicing of the insulin receptor mRNA. To determine whether the relative expression of the isoforms is altered in skeletal muscle in two insulin-resistant states, NIDDM and obesity, relative mRNA levels were measured using a polymerase chain reaction technique. There were no differences in the relative amounts of skeletal muscle mRNA encoding the exon 11-containing form compared to the exon 11-lacking form of the insulin receptor among lean normal (30 +/- 2% Ex11-), obese nondiabetic (32 +/- 2%), and NIDDM (31 +/- 1%) subjects. We conclude that altered expression of insulin receptor isoform mRNAs does not account for skeletal muscle insulin resistance in NIDDM and obesity.