PKB inhibition prevents the stimulatory effect of insulin on glucose transport and protein translocation but not the antilipolytic effect in rat adipocytes

We identified 1-(5 chloronaphthalenesulfonyl)-1H-hexahydro-1, 4-diazepine, also known as ML-9, as a powerful inhibitor of PKB activity in different cells as well as of recombinant PKB. It also inhibits other downstream serine/threonine kinases, such as PKA and p90 S6 kinase, but not upstream tyrosine phosphorylation or PI3-kinase activation in response to insulin. We compared the effects of ML-9 and wortmannin on several insulin-stimulated effects in isolated rat fat cells. Both ML-9 and wortmannin inhibited glucose transport and GLUT4/IGF II receptor translocation to the plasma membrane. In contrast, only wortmannin inhibited the antilipolytic effect and PDE3B activation by insulin. Thus, ML-9 inhibits PKB but not PI3-kinase activation in response to insulin and is useful to differentiate between these effects. Both PI3-kinase and PKB are important for glucose transport and intracellular protein translocation while PKB does not appear to play an important role for the antilipolytic effect or activation of PDE3B in response to insulin.     

Insulin treatment stimulates the tyrosine phosphorylation of the alpha-type 85-kDa subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in vivo.

After adding insulin to cells overexpressing the insulin receptor, the activity of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase in the anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates was rapidly and greatly increased. This enzyme may therefore be a substrate for the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase and may be one of the mediators of insulin signal transduction. However, it is unclear whether or not activated tyrosine kinase of the insulin receptor directly phosphorylates PI 3-kinase at tyrosine residue(s) and whether insulin stimulates the specific activity of PI 3-kinase. We reported previously that the 85-kDa subunit of purified PI 3-kinase was phosphorylated at tyrosine residue(s) by the insulin receptor in vitro. To examine the tyrosine phosphorylation of PI 3-kinase and change of its activity by insulin treatment in vivo, we used a specific antibody to the 85-kDa subunit of PI 3-kinase. The activity of PI 3-kinase in immunoprecipitates with the antibody against the p85 subunit of PI 3-kinase was increased about 3-fold by insulin treatment of cells overexpressing insulin receptors. Insulin treatment also stimulated the tyrosine, serine, and threonine phosphorylation of the alpha-type 85-kDa subunit of PI 3-kinase in vivo. Phosphatase treatment of the immunoprecipitates abolished the increase in PI 3-kinase activity. The phosphorylation(s) of the kinase itself, tyrosine phosphorylation(s) of associated protein(s), or the complex formation of the phosphorylated PI 3-kinase with associated proteins may increase the activity of PI 3-kinase.     

Insulin-induced formation of macromolecular complexes involved in activation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 3B (PDE3B) and its interaction with PKB

Fractionation of 3T3-L1 adipocyte membranes revealed that PDE3B (phosphodiesterase 3B) was associated with PM (plasma membrane) and ER (endoplasmic reticulum)/Golgi fractions, that insulin-induced phosphorylation/activation of PDE3B was greater in internal membranes than PM fractions, and that there was no significant translocation of PDE3B between membrane fractions. Insulin also induced formation of large macromolecular complexes, separated during gel filtration (Superose 6 columns) of solubilized membranes, which apparently contain phosphorylated/activated PDE3B and signalling molecules potentially involved in its activation by insulin, e.g. IRS-1 (insulin receptor substrate-1), IRS-2, PI3K p85 [p85-subunit of PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)], PKB (protein kinase B), HSP-90 (heat-shock protein 90) and 14-3-3. Expression of full-length recombinant FLAG-tagged murine (M) PDE3B and M3BDelta604 (MPDE3B lacking N-terminal 604 amino acids) indicated that the N-terminal region of MPDE3B was necessary for insulin-induced activation and recruitment of PDE3B. siRNA (small interfering RNA) knock-down of PDE3B indicated that PDE3B was not required for formation of insulin-induced complexes. Wortmannin inhibited insulin-induced assembly of macromolecular complexes, as well as phosphorylation/activation of PKB and PDE3B, and their co-immunoprecipitation. Another PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, Genistein, also inhibited insulin-induced activation of PDE3B and its co-immunoprecipitation with PKB. Confocal microscopy indicated co-localization of PDE3B and PKB. Recombinant MPDE3B co-immunoprecipitated, and co-eluted during Superose 12 chromatography, to a greater extent with recombinant pPKB (phosphorylated/activated PKB) than dephospho-PKB or p-DeltaPKB [pPKB lacking its PH domain (pleckstrin homology domain)]. Truncated recombinant MPDE3B proteins and pPKB did not efficiently co-immunoprecipitate, suggesting that structural determinants for their interaction reside in, or are regulated by, the N-terminal portion of MPDE3B. Recruitment of PDE3B in macromolecular complexes may be critical for regulation of specific cAMP pools and signalling pathways by insulin, e.g. lipolysis.     

Berberine attenuates cAMP-induced lipolysis via reducing the inhibition of phosphodiesterase in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Berberine, a hypoglycemic agent, has been shown to decrease plasma free fatty acids (FFAs) level in insulin-resistant rats. In the present study, we explored the mechanism responsible for the antilipolytic effect of berberine in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. It was shown that berberine attenuated lipolysis induced by catecholamines, cAMP-raising agents, and a hydrolyzable cAMP analog, but not by tumor necrosis factor α and a nonhydrolyzable cAMP analog. Unlike insulin, the inhibitory effect of berberine on lipolysis in response to isoproterenol was not abrogated by wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, but additive to that of PD98059, an extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase inhibitor. Prior exposure of adipocytes to berberine decreased the intracellular cAMP production induced by isoproterenol, forskolin, and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), along with hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) Ser-563 and Ser-660 dephosphorylation, but had no effect on perilipin phosphorylation. Berberine stimulated HSL Ser-565 as well as adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation. However, compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, did not reverse the regulatory effect of berberine on HSL Ser-563, Ser-660, and Ser-565 phosphorylation, nor the antilipolytic effect of berberine. Knockdown of AMPK using RNA interference also failed to restore berberine-suppressed lipolysis. cAMP-raising agents increased AMPK activity, which was not additive to that of berberine. Stimulation of adipocytes with berberine increased phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3B and PDE4 activity measured by hydrolysis of ³[H]cAMP. These results suggest that berberine exerts an antilipolytic effect mainly by reducing the inhibition of PDE, leading to a decrease in cAMP and HSL phosphorylation independent of AMPK pathway.     

The role of the cyclic GMP-inhibited cyclic AMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE3) in regulating clonal BRIN-BD11 insulin secreting cell survival

We report here that the cyclic GMP-inhibited cyclic AMP specific phosphodiesterase (PDE3B) is expressed as a membrane-bound protein in clonal insulin-secreting BRIN-BD11 cells. This was shown using SKF94836 (PDE3 inhibitor) which maximally inhibited membrane-bound cyclic AMP PDE activity by approximately 25-30% and by RT-PCR. We also demonstrated that insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) activates PDE3B in BRIN-BD11 cells. We therefore evaluated the role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p42/p44 MAPK) pathways in regulating this enzyme. We report here that the PI3K inhibitor, wortmannin, prevented the IGF-1-dependent stimulation of PDE3B activity. In contrast, the inhibitor of MEK-1 activation, PD098059 (which reduced IGF-1-stimulated p42/p44 MAPK phosphorylation), had no effect on PDE3B activation. Furthermore, IGF-1-dependent stimulation of p42/p44 MAPK and PDE3B was abolished in serum-deprived cells and this was associated with apoptosis. We propose that the deregulation of the PI3K/PDE3B pathway might result in increased intracellular cyclic AMP accumulation, which promotes apoptosis. This was supported by the finding that the adenylyl cyclase activator, forskolin, also induced apoptosis. Finally, we found that orthovanadate (a phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor) fully restored the activation of p42/p44 MAPK in serum-deprived cells, but had only a small effect on PDE activity. This confirmed that p42/p44 MAPK is on a separate pathway to PDE3B. Therefore, IGF-1-dependent regulation of PDE3B may be linked to cell survival through PI3K and not p42/p44 MAPK.     

Insulin stimulates phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase activity in rat adipocytes.

Phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 3-kinase is thought to participate in the signal transduction pathways initiated by the activation of receptor tyrosine kinases including the insulin receptor. To approach the physiological relevance of this enzyme in insulin signaling, we studied the activation of PtdIns-3-kinase in adipocytes, a major insulin target tissue for glucose transport and utilisation. To analyze possible interactions of the enzyme with cellular proteins, immunoprecipitations with the following antibodies were performed: (a) anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies, (b) two antibodies to the 85-kDa subunit of PtdIns-3-kinase (p85) and (c) an antibody to the 185-kDa major insulin receptor substrate (p185). We show that in cell extracts from adipocytes exposed to insulin, and after immunoprecipitation with an anti-phosphotyrosine antibody and an antibody to p85, we are able to detect a PtdIns-3-kinase activity stimulated by the hormone. Similarly, after immunoprecipitation with an antibody to p185, an increase in the PtdIns-3-kinase activity could be demonstrated. Taken together these results suggest that, upon insulin stimulation of fat cells, PtdIns-3-kinase itself is tyrosine phosphorylated and/or associated with an insulin receptor substrate, such as p185, which could function as a link between the insulin receptor and PtdIns-3-kinase. The PtdIns-3-kinase was activated within 1 min of exposure to insulin, and the half-maximal effect was reached at the same concentration, i.e. 3 nM, as for stimulation of the insulin receptor kinase. Subcellular fractionation showed that PtdIns-3-kinase activity was found both in the membranes and in the cytosol. Further, immunoprecipitation with an antibody to p85, which possesses the capacity to activate PtdIns-3-kinase, suggests that the presence of the enzyme in the membrane may be due to an insulin-induced recruitment of the PtdIns-3-kinase from the cytosol to the membrane. Finally, we used isoproterenol, which exerts antagonistic effects on insulin action. This drug was found to inhibit both the PtdIns-3-kinase and the insulin receptor activation by insulin, suggesting that the activation of the PtdIns-3-kinase was closely regulated by the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase. The occurrence of an insulin-stimulated PtdIns-3-kinase in adipocytes leads us to propose that this enzyme might be implicated in the generation of metabolic responses induced by insulin.     

Oxidative stress disrupts insulin-induced cellular redistribution of insulin receptor substrate-1 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. A putative cellular mechanism for impaired protein kinase B activation and GLUT4 translocation

In a recent study we have demonstrated that 3T3-L1 adipocytes exposed to low micromolar H2O2 concentrations display impaired insulin stimulated GLUT4 translocation from internal membrane pools to the plasma membrane (Rudich, A., Tirosh, A., Potashnik, R., Hemi, R., Kannety, H., and Bashan, N. (1998) Diabetes 47, 1562-1569). In this study we further characterize the cellular mechanisms responsible for this observation. Two-hour exposure to approximately 25 microM H2O2 (generated by adding glucose oxidase to the medium) resulted in disruption of the normal insulin stimulated insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 and phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase cellular redistribution between the cytosol and an internal membrane pool (low density microsomal fraction (LDM)). This was associated with reduced insulin-stimulated IRS-1 and p85-associated PI 3-kinase activities in the LDM (84 and 96% inhibition, respectively). The effect of this finding on the downstream insulin signal was demonstrated by a 90% reduction in insulin stimulated protein kinase B (PKB) serine 473 phosphorylation and impaired activation of PKBalpha and PKBgamma. Both control and oxidized cells exposed to heat shock displayed a wortmannin insensitive PKB serine phosphorylation and activity. These data suggest that activation of PKB and GLUT4 translocation are insulin signaling events dependent upon a normal insulin induced cellular compartmentalization of PI 3-kinase and IRS-1, which is oxidative stress-sensitive. These findings represent a novel cellular mechanism for the induction of insulin resistance in response to changes in the extracellular environment.     

Essential role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in insulin-induced activation and phosphorylation of the cGMP-inhibited cAMP phosphodiesterase in rat adipocytes studies using the selective inhibitor wortmannin

Incubation of rat adipocytes with wortmannin, a potent and selective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) inhibitor, completely blocked the antilipolytic action of insulin (IC₅₀≈ 100 nM), the insulin-induced activation and phosphorylation of cGMP-inhibited cAMP phosphodiesterase (cGI-PDE) as well as the activation of the insulin-stimulated cGI-PDE kinase (IC₅₀≈ 10–30 nM). No direct effects of the inhibitor on the insulin-stimulated cGI-PDE kinase, the cGI-PDE and the hormone-sensitive lipase were observed. These data suggest that activation of PI 3-kinase upstream of the insulin-stimulated cGI-PDE kinase in the antilipolytic insulin signalchain has an essential role for insulin-induced cGI-PDE activation/ phosphorylation and anti-lipolysis.     

Role of PDE3B in insulin-induced glucose uptake, GLUT-4 translocation and lipogenesis in primary rat adipocytes

In adipocytes, phosphorylation and activation of PDE3B is a key event in the antilipolytic action of insulin. The role of PDE4, another PDE present in adipocytes, is not yet known. In this work we investigate the role of PDE3B and PDE4 in insulin-induced glucose uptake, GLUT-4 translocation and lipogenesis. Inhibition of PDE3 (OPC3911, milrinone) but not PDE4 (RO 20-1724) lowered insulin-induced glucose uptake and lipogenesis, especially in the presence of isoproterenol (a general beta-adrenergic agonist), CL316243, a selective beta3-adrenergic agonist, and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide. The inhibitory effect of OPC3911 was associated with reduced translocation of GLUT-4 from the cytosol to the plasma membrane. Both OPC3911 and RO 20-1724 increased protein kinase A (PKA) activity and lipolysis. H89, a PKA inhibitor, did not affect OPC3911-mediated inhibition of insulin-induced glucose uptake and lipogenesis, whereas 8-pCPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP, an Epac agonist which mediates PKA independent cAMP signaling events, mimicked all the effects of OPC3911. Insulin-mediated activation of protein kinase B, a kinase involved in insulin-induced glucose uptake, was apparently not altered by OPC3911. In summary, our data suggest that PDE3B, but not PDE4, contributes to the regulation of insulin-induced glucose uptake, GLUT-4 translocation, and lipogenesis presumably by regulation of a cAMP/Epac signalling mechanisms.     

Insulin signaling in vascular endothelial cells: a key role for heterotrimeric G proteins revealed by siRNA-mediated Gbeta1 knockdown

Activation of insulin receptors stimulates the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K)/Akt signaling pathway in vascular endothelial cells. Heterotrimeric G proteins appear to modulate some of the cellular responses that are initiated by receptor tyrosine kinases, but the roles of specific G protein subunits in signaling are less clearly defined. We found that insulin treatment of cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) activates the alpha isoform of PI3-K (PI3-Kalpha) and discovered that purified G protein Gbeta1gamma2 inhibits PI3-Kalpha enzyme activity. Transfection of BAEC with a duplex siRNA targeting bovine Gbeta1 leads to a 90% knockdown in Gbeta1 protein levels, with no effect on expression of other G protein subunits. siRNA-mediated Gbeta1 knockdown markedly and specifically potentiates insulin-dependent activation of kinase Akt, likely reflecting the removal of the inhibitory effect of Gbetagamma on PI3-Kalpha activity. Insulin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptors is unaffected by Gbeta1 siRNA. By contrast, Gbeta1 knockdown leads to a significant decrease in the level of serine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate IRS-1. We explored the effects of siRNA on several serine/threonine protein kinases that have been implicated in insulin signaling. Gbeta1 siRNA significantly attenuates phosphorylation of the 70 kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) in the basal state and following insulin treatment. We also found that IGF-1-initiated activation of Akt is significantly enhanced after siRNA-mediated Gbeta1 knockdown, while IGF-1-induced p70S6K activation is markedly suppressed following transfection of Gbeta1 siRNA. We propose that Gbeta1 participates in the activation of p70S6K, which in turn promotes the serine phosphorylation and inhibition of IRS-1. Taken together, these studies suggest that Gbeta1 plays an important role in insulin and IGF-1 signaling in endothelial cells, both by inhibiting the activity of PI3-Kalpha and by stimulating pathways that lead to activation of protein kinase p70S6K and to the serine phosphorylation of IRS-1.     

Membrane-targeted phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase mimics insulin actions and induces a state of cellular insulin resistance.

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase plays an important role in various insulin-stimulated biological responses including glucose transport, glycogen synthesis, and protein synthesis. However, the molecular link between PI 3-kinase and these biological responses is still unclear. We have investigated whether targeting of the catalytic p110 subunit of PI 3-kinase to cellular membranes is sufficient and necessary to induce PI 3-kinase dependent signaling responses, characteristic of insulin action. We overexpressed Myc-tagged, membrane-targeted p110 (p110(CAAX)), and wild-type p110 (p110(WT)) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by adenovirus-mediated gene transfer. Overexpressed p110(CAAX) exhibited approximately 2-fold increase in basal kinase activity in p110 immunoprecipitates, that further increased to approximately 4-fold with insulin. Even at this submaximal PI 3-kinase activity, p110(CAAX) fully stimulated p70 S6 kinase, Akt, 2-deoxyglucose uptake, and Ras, whereas, p110(WT) had little or no effect on these downstream effects. Interestingly p110(CAAX) did not activate MAP kinase, despite its stimulation of p21(ras). Surprisingly, p110(CAAX) did not increase basal glycogen synthase activity, and inhibited insulin stimulated activity, indicative of cellular resistance to this action of insulin. p110(CAAX) also inhibited insulin stimulated, but not platelet-derived growth factor-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, demonstrating that the p110(CAAX) induced inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase and insulin signaling is specific, and not due to some toxic or nonspecific effect on the cells. Moreover, p110(CAAX) stimulated IRS-1 Ser/Thr phosphorylation, and inhibited IRS-1 associated PI 3-kinase activity, without affecting insulin receptor tyrosine phosphorylation, suggesting that it may play an important role as a negative regulator for insulin signaling. In conclusion, our studies show that membrane-targeted PI 3-kinase can mimic a number of biologic effects normally induced by insulin. In addition, the persistent activation of PI 3-kinase induced by p110(CAAX) expression leads to desensitization of specific signaling pathways. Interestingly, the state of cellular insulin resistance is not global, in that some of insulin's actions are inhibited, whereas others are intact.     

Amino acid and insulin signaling via the mTOR/p70 S6 kinase pathway. A negative feedback mechanism leading to insulin resistance in skeletal muscle cells

Amino acids have emerged as potent modulators of the mTOR/p70 S6 kinase pathway. The involvement of this pathway in the regulation of insulin-stimulated glucose transport was investigated in the present study. Acute exposure (1 h) to a balanced mixture of amino acids reduced insulin-stimulated glucose transport by as much as 55% in L6 muscle cells. The effect of amino acids was fully prevented by the specific mTOR inhibitor rapamycin. Time course analysis of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1)-associated phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase activity revealed that incubation with amino acids speeds up its time-dependent deactivation, leading to a dramatic suppression (-70%) of its activity after 30 min of insulin stimulation as compared with its maximal activation (5 min of stimulation). This accelerated deactivation of PI 3-kinase activity in amino acid-treated cells was associated with a concomitant and sustained increase in the phosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase. In marked contrast, inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin maintained PI 3-kinase maximally activated for up to 30 min. The marked inhibition of insulin-mediated PI 3-kinase activity by amino acids was linked to a rapamycin-sensitive increase in serine/threonine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and a decreased binding of the p85 subunit of PI 3-kinase to IRS-1. Furthermore, amino acids were required for the degradation of IRS-1 during long term insulin treatment. These results identify the mTOR/p70 S6 kinase signaling pathway as a novel modulator of insulin-stimulated glucose transport in skeletal muscle cells.     

PDGF-induced vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation is associated with dysregulation of insulin receptor substrates

In vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) plays a major role in inducing phenotypic switching from contractile to proliferative state. Importantly, VSMC phenotypic switching is also determined by the phosphorylation state/expression levels of insulin receptor substrate (IRS), an intermediary signaling component that is shared by insulin and IGF-I. To date, the roles of PDGF-induced key proliferative signaling components including Akt, p70S6kinase, and ERK1/2 on the serine phosphorylation/expression of IRS-1 and IRS-2 isoforms remain unclear in VSMCs. We hypothesize that PDGF-induced VSMC proliferation is associated with dysregulation of insulin receptor substrates. Using human aortic VSMCs, we demonstrate that prolonged PDGF treatment led to sustained increases in the phosphorylation of protein kinases such as Akt, p70S6kinase, and ERK1/2, which mediate VSMC proliferation. In addition, PDGF enhanced IRS-1/IRS-2 serine phosphorylation and downregulated IRS-2 expression in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Notably, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) inhibitor (PI-103) and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (rapamycin), which abolished PDGF-induced Akt and p70S6kinase phosphorylation, respectively, blocked PDGF-induced IRS-1 serine phosphorylation and IRS-2 downregulation. In contrast, MEK1/ERK inhibitor (U0126) failed to block PDGF-induced IRS-1 serine phosphorylation and IRS-2 downregulation. PDGF-induced IRS-2 downregulation was prevented by lactacystin, an inhibitor of proteasomal degradation. Functionally, PDGF-mediated IRS-1/IRS-2 dysregulation resulted in the attenuation of insulin-induced IRS-1/IRS-2-associated PI 3-kinase activity. Pharmacological inhibition of PDGF receptor tyrosine kinase with imatinib prevented IRS-1/IRS-2 dysregulation and restored insulin receptor signaling. In conclusion, strategies to inhibit PDGF receptors would not only inhibit neointimal growth but may provide new therapeutic options to prevent dysregulated insulin receptor signaling in VSMCs in nondiabetic and diabetic states.     

Okadaic acid inhibits insulin-induced glucose transport in fetal brown adipocytes in an Akt-independent and protein kinase C zeta-dependent manner

In the present study we have investigated the effect of increased serine/threonine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrates-1 and -2 (IRS-1 and IRS-2) by okadaic acid pretreatment on brown adipocyte insulin signalling leading to glucose transport, an important metabolic effect of insulin in brown adipose tissue. Okadaic acid pretreatment before insulin stimulation decreased IRS-1 and IRS-2 tyrosine phosphorylation in parallel to a decrease in their sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis mobility. IRS-1/IRS-2-associated p85alpha and phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase enzymatic activity were partly reduced in brown adipocytes pretreated with okadaic acid upon stimulation with insulin. Furthermore, insulin-induced glucose uptake was totally abolished by the inhibitor in parallel with a total inhibition of insulin-induced protein kinase C (PKC) zeta activity. However, activation of Akt/PKB or p70 S6 kinase (p70(s6k)) by insulin remained unaltered. Our results suggest that downstream of PI 3-kinase, insulin signalling diverges into at least two independent pathways through Akt/PKB and PKC zeta, the PKC zeta pathway contributing to glucose transport induced by insulin in fetal brown adipocytes.     

Combination of insulinomimetic agents H2O2 and vanadate enhances insulin receptor mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 leading to IRS-1 association with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

To analyze the mechanism of action of the insulinomimetic agents H₂O₂, vanadate, and pervanadate (H₂O₂ and vanadate), CHO cells or CHO cells that overexpress wild-type or mutant insulin receptor and/or the insulin receptor substrate (IRS-1) were used. H₂O₂ or vanadate treatment alone had little or no effect on tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins; however, pevanadate treatment dramatically enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of proteins including the insulin receptor and IRS-1. However, the insulin receptor and IRS-1 coimmunoprecipitate from insulin-treated but not from pervanadate-treated cells. Pervanadate-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor led to an increase in insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity toward IRS-1 in vivo and IRS-1 peptides in vitro equal to that induced by insulin treatment. Pervanadate-enhanced phosphorylation of IRS-1 led to a fifteenfold increase in IRS-1–associated phosphatidylinositol (Ptdlns) 3-kinase activity. However, insulin receptor–associated Ptdlns 3-kinase activity from pervanadate-treated cells was not detectable, while insulin receptor–associated Ptdlns 3-kinase activity from insulin-treated cells was 20% of the IRS-1-associated activity. Thus, pervanadate but not H₂O₂ or vanadate alone under these conditions mimics many of insulin actions, but pervanadate treatment does not induce insulin receptor/IRS-1 association.     

Growth factor receptor-binding protein 10 (Grb10) as a partner of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in metabolic insulin action

The regulation of the metabolic insulin response by mouse growth factor receptor-binding protein 10 (Grb10) has been addressed in this report. We find mouse Grb10 to be a critical component of the insulin receptor (IR) signaling complex that provides a functional link between IR and p85 phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase and regulates PI 3-kinase activity. This regulatory mechanism parallels the established link between IR and p85 via insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins. A direct association was demonstrated between Grb10 and p85 but was not observed between Grb10 and IRS proteins. In addition, no effect of mouse Grb10 was observed on the association between IRS-1 and p85, on IRS-1-associated PI 3-kinase activity, or on insulin-mediated activation of IR or IRS proteins. A critical role of mouse Grb10 was observed in the regulation of PI 3-kinase activity and the resulting metabolic insulin response. Dominant-negative Grb10 domains, in particular the SH2 domain, eliminated the metabolic response to insulin in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. This was consistently observed for glycogen synthesis, glucose and amino acid transport, and lipogenesis. In parallel, the same metabolic responses were substantially elevated by increased levels of Grb10. A similar role of Grb10 was confirmed in mouse L6 cells. In addition to the SH2 domain, the Pro-rich amino-terminal region of Grb10 was implicated in the regulation of PI 3-kinase catalytic activity. These regulatory roles of Grb10 were extended to specific insulin mediators downstream of PI 3-kinase including PKB/Akt, glycogen synthase kinase, and glycogen synthase. In contrast, a regulatory role of Grb10 in parallel insulin response pathways including p70 S6 kinase, ubiquitin ligase Cbl, or mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 was not observed. The dissection of the interaction of mouse Grb10 with p85 and the resulting regulation of PI 3-kinase activity should help elucidate the complexity of the IR signaling mechanism.     

Epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor alpha mimic the effects of insulin in human fat cells and augment downstream signaling in insulin resistance

The ability of the growth factors epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor alpha, and platelet-derived growth factor to exert insulin-like effects on glucose transport and lipolysis were examined in human and rat fat cells. No effects were found in rat fat cells, whereas EGF (EC(50) for glucose transport approximately 0.02 nm) and transforming growth factor alpha (EC(50) approximately 0.2 nm), but not platelet-derived growth factor, mimicked the effects of insulin (EC(50) approximately 0.2 nm) on both pathways. EGF receptors, but not EGF, were abundantly expressed in human fat cells as well as in human skeletal muscle. EGF increased the tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins (the EGF receptor, insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1, IRS-2, and Grb2-associated binder 1), whereas Shc and Gab2 were only weakly and inconsistently phosphorylated. p85, the regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), was also found to associate with all of these docking molecules, showing that EGF activated PI 3-kinase pools that were additional to those of insulin. EGF and/or insulin increased protein kinase B/Akt serine phosphorylation to a similar extent, whereas mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation was more pronounced for EGF than for insulin. The impaired insulin-stimulated downstream signaling, measured as protein kinase B/Akt serine phosphorylation, in insulin-resistant cells (Type 2 diabetes) was improved by the addition of EGF. Thus, EGF receptors, but not EGF, are abundantly expressed in human fat cells and skeletal muscle. EGF mimics the effects of insulin on both the metabolic and mitogenic pathways but utilize in part different signaling pathways. Both insulin and EGF increase the tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of IRS-1 and IRS-2, whereas EGF is also capable of activating additional PI 3-kinase pools and, thus, can augment the downstream signaling of insulin in insulin-resistant states like Type 2 diabetes.     

Differences in signaling properties of the cytoplasmic domains of the insulin receptor and insulin-like growth factor receptor in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) elicit distinct but overlapping biological effects in vivo. To investigate whether differences in intrinsic signaling capacity of receptors contribute to biological specificity, we constructed chimeric receptors containing the extracellular portion of the neurotrophin receptor TrkC fused to the intracellular portion of the insulin or IGF-I receptors. Chimeras were stably expressed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes at levels comparable to endogenous insulin receptors and were efficiently activated by neurotrophin-3. The wild-type insulin receptor chimera mediated approximately 2-fold greater phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), association of IRS-1 with phosphoinositide 3-kinase, stimulation of glucose uptake, and GLUT4 translocation, compared with the IGF-I receptor chimera. In contrast, the IGF-I receptor chimera mediated more effective Shc phosphorylation, association of Shc with Grb2, and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase compared with the insulin receptor chimera. The two receptors elicited similar activation of protein kinase B, p70S6 kinase, and glycogen synthesis. We conclude that the insulin receptor mediates some aspects of metabolic signaling in adipocytes more effectively than the IGF-I receptor, as a consequence of more efficient phosphorylation of IRS-1 and greater recruitment/activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase.     

Novel mechanisms of the regulation of protein kinase B in adipocytes; implications for protein kinase A, Epac, phosphodiesterases 3 and 4

Crosstalk between insulin and cAMP signalling pathways has a great impact on adipocyte metabolism. Whilst Protein kinase B (PKB) is a pivotal mediator of insulin action, in some cells regulation of PKB by cAMP has also been demonstrated. Here we provide evidence that, in a phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase dependent manner, beta3-adrenergic stimulation (using CL316243) in adipocytes induces PKB phosphorylation in the absence of insulin and also potentiates insulin-induced phosphorylation of PKB. Interestingly, insulin- and CL316243-induced PKB phosphorylation was found to be inhibited by pools of cAMP controlled by PDE3B and PDE4 (mainly in the context of insulin), whereas a cAMP pool controlling protein kinase A appeared to mediate stimulation of PKB phosphorylation (mainly in the context of CL316243). Furthermore, an Epac (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP) agonist (8-pCPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP) mimicked the effect of the PDE inhibitors, giving evidence that Epac has an inhibitory effect on PKB phosphorylation in adipocytes. Further, we put the results obtained at the level of PKB in the context of possible downstream signalling components in the regulation of adipocyte metabolism. Thus, we found that overexpression of PKB induced lipogenesis in a PDE3B-dependent manner. Furthermore, overexpression or inhibition of PDE3B was associated with reduced or increased phosphorylation of the key lipogenic enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), respectively. These PDE3B-dependent effects on ACC correlated with changes in lipogenesis. The Epac agonist, 8-pCPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP, mimicked the effect of PDE3B inhibition on ACC phosphorylation and lipogenesis.