Vanadate induces normolipidemia and a reduction in the levels of hepatic lipogenic enzymes in obese Zucker rat

The effects of vanadate administration on the plasma lipids and hepatic lipogenic enzymes were investigated in Zucker (fa/fa) rat, a model for obesity and non insulin-dependent diabetes. These animals were administered sodium orthovanadate through drinking water for a period of four months. The plasma levels of insulin, triacylglycerols and total cholesterol were significantly (p<0.001) elevated in untreated obese control rats as compared to the lean animals. In the livers of obese rats, the number of insulin receptors decreased by 60% and the activities of lipogenic enzymes acetyl-CoA carboxylase and ATP-citrate lyase increased by 4.7- and 5.6-folds, respectively. The messenger RNA for ATP-citrate lyase as measured by Northern blot analysis showed a parallel increase in obese control rats. Treatment of these rats with vanadate caused 56–77% decreases in the plasma levels of insulin, triacylglycerols and total cholesterol. The insulin receptor numbers in vanadate-treated obese rats increased (119%) compared to levels in untreated obese animals. The elevated activities of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and ATP-citrate lyase observed in livers of obese rats were significantly reduced by vanadate. The messenger RNA for ATP-citrate lyase also decreased in vanadate-treated obese rats back to the lean control levels. This study demonstrates that vanadate exerts potent actions on lipid metabolism in diabetic animals in addition to the recognized effects on glucose homeostasis.     

Effects of adenosine receptor antagonism on protein tyrosine phosphatase in rat skeletal muscle

Earlier studies have shown that whole body adenosine receptor antagonism increases skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant Zucker rats. To find which steps in the insulin signaling pathway are influenced by adenosine receptors, muscle from lean and obese Zucker rats, treated for 1 week with the adenosine receptor antagonist, 1,3-dipropyl-8-(4-acrylate)-phenylxanthine (BWA1433), were analyzed. All rats were first anesthetized and injected intravenously (i.v.) with 1 IU of insulin. About 3 min later the gastrocnemius was freeze clamped. Insulin receptors were partially purified on wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) columns and insulin receptor kinase activity measured in control and BWA1433-treated lean and obese Zucker rats. Protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activity was also analyzed in subcellular fractions, including the cytosolic fraction, a high-speed particulate fraction and the insulin receptor fraction eluted from WGA columns. Administration of BWA1433 increased insulin receptor kinase activity in obese but not lean Zucker rats. PTPase activities were higher in the untreated obese rat muscle particulate fractions than in the lean rat particulate fractions. The BWA1433 administration lowered the PTPase activity of the obese rats but not the lean rats. Although the PTPase activity in WGA eluate fractions containing crude insulin receptors were similar in lean and obese animals, BWA1433 administration was found to lower the PTPase activities in the fractions obtained from obese but not from the lean rats. PTPases may be upregulated in muscles from obese rats due to activated adenosine receptors. Adenosine receptor blockade, by reducing PTPase activity, may thereby increase insulin signaling.     

Protein tyrosine phosphatase regulation in fibroblasts from patients with an insulin receptor gene mutation

Tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor is the initial event following receptor binding to insulin, and it induces further tyrosine phosphorylation of various intracellular molecules. This signaling is countered by protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases), which reportedly are associated with insulin resistance that can be reduced by regulation of PTPases. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and leukocyte antigen-related PTPase (LAR) are the PTPases implicated most frequently in insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus. Here, we show that PTP1B and LAR are expressed in human fibroblasts, and we examine the regulation of PTPase activity in fibroblasts from patients with an insulin receptor gene mutation as an in vitro model of insulin resistance. Total PTPase activity was significantly lower in the cytosolic and membrane fractions of fibroblasts with mutations compared with controls (p<0.05). Insulin stimulation of fibroblasts with mutations resulted in a significantly smaller increase in PTP1B activity compared with stimulation of wild-type fibroblasts (p<0.05). This indicates that insulin receptor gene mutations blunt increases in PTPase activity in response to insulin, possibly via a negative feedback mechanism. Our data suggest that the PTPase activity in patients with insulin receptor gene mutation and severe insulin resistance may differ from that in ordinary type 2 diabetes.     

Protein-tyrosine phosphatases and the regulation of insulin action.

Protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) play an important role in the regulation of insulin action by dephosphorylating the active (autophosphorylated) form of the insulin receptor and attenuating its tyrosine kinase activity. PTPases can also modulate post-receptor signalling by catalyzing the dephosphorylation of cellular substrates of the insulin receptor kinase. Dramatic advances have recently been made in our understanding of PTPases as an extensive family of transmembrane and intracellular proteins that are involved in a number of pathways of cellular signal transduction. Identification of the PTPase(s) which act on various components of the insulin action cascade will not only enhance our understanding of insulin signalling but will also clarify the potential involvement of PTPases in the pathophysiology of insulin-resistant disease states. This brief review provides a summary of reversible tyrosine phosphorylation events in insulin action and available data on candidate PTPases in liver and skeletal muscle that may be involved in the regulation of insulin action.     

In vivo effects of vanadate on hepatic glycogen metabolizing and lipogenic enzymes in insulin-dependent and insulin-resistant diabetic animals

The insulin-mimetic action of vanadate is well established but the exact mechanism by which it exerts this effect is still not clearly understood. The role of insulin in the regulation of hepatic glycogen metabolizing and lipogenic enzymes is well known. In our study, we have, therefore, examined the effects of vanadate on these hepatic enzymes using four different models of diabetic and insulin-resistant animals. Vanadate normalized the blood glucose levels in all animal models. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, the amount of liver glycogen and the activities of the active-form of glycogen synthase, both active and inactive-forms of phosphorylase, and lipogenic enzymes like glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme were decreased and vanadate treatment normalized all of these to near normal levels. The other three animal models (db/db mouse, sucrose-fed rats and fa/fa obese Zucker rats) were characterized by hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, increases in activities of lipogenic enzymes, and marginal changes in glycogen metabolizing enzymes. Vanadate treatment brought all of these values towards normal levels. It should be noted that vanadate shows differential effects in the modulation of lipogenic enzymes activities in type I and type II diabetic animals. It increases the activities of lipogenic enzymes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic animals and prevents the elevation of activities of these enzymes in hyperinsulinemic animals. The insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of insulin receptor subunit and its tyrosine kinase activity was increased in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats after treatment with vanadate. Our results support the view that insulin receptor is one of the sites involved in the insulin-mimetic actions of vanadate.     

Insulin differentially regulates protein phosphotyrosine phosphatase activity in rat hepatoma cells.

We have studied the effect of insulin stimulation on phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activity in the well-differentiated rat hepatoma cell line Fao. PTPase activity was measured using a 32P-labeled peptide corresponding to the major site of insulin receptor autophosphorylation. Of the PTPase activity in Fao cells, 14% was in the cytosolic fraction, whereas 86% was in the particulate fraction; this latter fraction also had a 4-fold higher specific activity. Purification of the particulate fraction by lectin chromatography resulted in a 50% increase in specific activity, although this glycoprotein-rich fraction contained only 1.5% of the total activity. Both the cytosolic and particulate PTPase fractions were active toward the tyrosyl-phosphorylated insulin receptor in vitro. The activity of the particulate fraction but not the cytosolic fraction was inhibited by addition of a micromolar concentration of a phosphorylated peptide corresponding to residues 1142-1153 of the human insulin receptor sequence. By contrast, addition of the nonphosphorylated peptide even at millimolar concentration was without effect. Both PTPase fractions were inhibited by Zn+ at similar concentrations, whereas the cytosolic PTPase activity was 10-fold more sensitive to vanadate inhibition. Treatment of cells with 100 nM insulin increased PTPase activity in the particulate fraction by 40% and decreased activity in the cytosolic fraction by 35%. These effects occurred within 15 min and were half-maximal at 3-4 nM insulin. When assessed as total activity, the magnitude of the changes in PTPase activity in the particulate and cytosolic fractions could not be explained on the basis of a translocation of PTPases between the two pools.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Activity in Insulin-Resistant Rodent Psammomys Obesus

Phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activity and its regulation by overnight food deprivation were studied in Psammomys obesus (sand rat), a gerbil model of insulin resistance and nutritionally induced diabetes mellitus. PTPase activity was measured using a phosphopeptide substrate containing a sequence identical to that of the major site of insulin receptor (IR) β-subunit autophosphorylation. The PTPase activity in membrane fractions was 3.5-, 8.3-, and 5.9-fold lower in liver, fat, and skeletal muscle, respectively, compared with corresponding tissues of albino rat.Western blotting of tissue membrane fractions in Psammomys showed lower PTPase and IR than in albino rats. The density of PTPase transmembrane protein band was 5.5-fold lower in liver and 12-fold lower in adipose tissue. Leukocyte antigen receptor (LAR) and IR were determined by specific immunoblotting and protein bands densitometry and were also found to be 6.3-fold lower in the liver and 22-fold lower in the adipose tissue in the hepatic membrane fractions. Liver cytosolic PTPase activity after an overnight food deprivation in the nondiabetic Psammomys rose 3.7-fold compared with postprandial PTPase activity, but it did not change significantly in diabetic fasted animals. Similar fasting-related changes were detected in the activity of PTPase derived from membrane fraction. In conclusion, the above data demonstrate that despite the insulin resistance, Psammomys is characterized by low level of PTPase activities in membrane and cytosolic fractions in all 3 major insulin responsive tissues, as well as in liver. PTPase activity does not rise in activity as a result of insulin resistance and nutritionally induced diabetes.     

Vanadium(V) complexes in enzyme systems: aqueous chemistry, inhibition and molecular modeling in inhibitor design

Vanadate in aqueous solution is known to influence a number of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Such effects are well known to carry over to living systems where numerous responses to the influence of vanadium have been well-documented; perhaps the most studied being the insulin-mimetic effect. Studies of the aqueous chemistry of vanadate provide an insight into the mechanisms by which vanadate affects enzyme systems and suggests methods for the elucidation of specific types of responses. Studies of the corresponding enzymes provide complementary information that suggests model vanadate systems be studied and provides clues as to functional groups that might be utilized in the development of selective enzyme inhibition. The insulin-mimetic effect is thought by many workers to originate in the effectiveness of vanadium as an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activity. One, or more PTPases regulate the phosphotyrosine levels of the insulin receptor kinase domain. Appropriate ligands allow modification of the reactivity and function of vanadate. For instance, although the complex, ((CH(3))(2)NO)(2)V(O)OH, is not quite as good an inhibitor of PTPase activity as is vanadate, it is much more effective in cell cultures for increasing glucose transport and glycogen synthesis. Studies of the chemistry of this complex provide an explanation of the efficacy of this compound as a PTPase inhibitor that is supported by computer modeling studies. Computer calculations using X-ray data of known PTPases as a basis for homology modeling then suggests functionality that needs to be addressed in developing selective PTPase inhibitors.     

Overexpression of protein tyrosine phosphatase-alpha (PTP-alpha) but not PTP-kappa inhibits translocation of GLUT4 in rat adipose cells

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) are likely to play important roles in insulin action. We recently demonstrated that the nontransmembrane PTPase PTP1B can act as a negative modulator of insulin-stimulated translocation of GLUT4. We now examine the role of PTP-alpha and PTP-kappa (two transmembrane PTPases) in this metabolic action of insulin. Rat adipose cells were transfected with either PTP-alpha or PTP-kappa and effects of these PTPases on the translocation of a cotransfected epitope-tagged GLUT4 were studied. Cells overexpressing wild-type PTP-alpha had significantly lower levels of cell surface GLUT4 in response to insulin and a threefold decrease in insulin sensitivity when compared with control cells expressing only tagged GLUT4. Co-overexpression of PTP-alpha and PTP1B did not have additive effects, suggesting that these PTPases share common substrates. Cells overexpressing either wild-type PTP-kappa or catalytically inactive mutants of PTP-alpha had dose-response curves similar to those of control cells. Since overexpression of PTP-alpha, but not PTP-kappa, had effects on translocation of GLUT4, our data suggest that PTPalpha may be a specific negative modulator of insulin-stimulated glucose transport.     

Phosphotyrosyl turnover in insulin signaling. Characterization of two membrane-bound pp15 protein tyrosine phosphatases from 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

It was shown previously that 422 (aP2) protein, a 15-kDa fatty acid binding protein, is phosphorylated on Tyr19 both in vitro by the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase and in intact 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with insulin and phenylarsine oxide (PAO). Phospho-422(aP2) protein (pp15) accumulates in cells treated with insulin and PAO because the arsenical blocks turnover of the phosphoryl group of pp15. These findings suggest that a PAO-sensitive enzyme mediates turnover of the pp15 tyrosine phosphoryl group. We have purified and characterized two membrane protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) from 3T3-L1 adipocytes that catalyze hydrolysis of phospho-Tyr19 of authentic pp15. These enzymes, designated PTPases HA1 and HA2, were purified approximately 20,000-fold and approximately 15,000-fold, respectively, and shown to differ markedly in their sensitivity to both vanadate and phosphotyrosine. Both enzymes are inhibited by PAO and accordingly can be labeled with 4-[125I]iodo-PAO. By this method, it was demonstrated that PTPases HA1 and HA2 have molecular masses of approximately 60 kDa and approximately 38 kDa, respectively. Both enzymes exhibit substrate preference for pp15 when compared with other phosphotyrosine-containing protein substrates. Proteins containing phosphoserine and phosphothreonine do not serve as substrates for the enzymes. The pp15 PTPase HA2 is expressed both in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and adipocytes, whereas pp15 PTPase HA1 is expressed only in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.     

Purification and characterization of a rat liver protein-tyrosine phosphatase with sequence similarity to src-homology region 2.

Utilizing three proteins plus tyrosine-glutamate copolymer as substrates, all of which are subjected to (near) stoichiometrical phosphorylation exclusively on tyrosine residues, we partially purified four different protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) from rat liver cytosol which differed in substrate preference. Of the four PTPases, tentatively termed L1, L2, L3, and L4, PTPase L1 was purified to apparent homogeneity by a procedure involving chromatography on DEAE-cellulose at pH 7.0, Blue Sepharose, DEAE-cellulose at pH 7.6, hydroxyapatite, Phenyl Sepharose, Mono Q, and TSKgel Heparin. PTPase L1 was purified about 7000-fold from the extract and 0.27 mg was isolated from 1000 g liver corresponding to a yield of 13% from the Blue Sepharose step where it had become freed from any other PTPases detectable by our assay procedure. The purified PTPase L1 showed a major protein band of 67 kDa on SDS/PAGE. Catalytically, PTPase L1 had a specific activity of about 6500 nmol Pi released min-1mg-1 toward tyrosine-glutamate copolymer phosphorylated on tyrosine residues. PTPase L1 exhibited very low sensitivities to PTPase inhibitors such as zinc acetate, sodium vanadate, and acidic compounds as compared with those of most of the PTPases purified thus far. Amino acid sequence analysis of the purified PTPase L1 revealed a partial peptide sequence showing similarity to the catalytic domain core sequences conserved in the PTPase family. PTPase L1 was most similar to a PTPase termed PTP1C encoded by a human breast carcinoma cDNA but the identity was 55% over 117 residues spanning nearly half of the catalytic domain of PTP1C. The analysis also revealed another partial peptide sequence (113 residues) 70% identical with the sequence corresponding to 68% of two adjacent copies of the src homology region 2(SH-2 domain) identified in PTP1C. Besides those peptide sequences, PTPase L1 had regional sequences which were 70-90% identical with the residues lying between the two SH-2 domains or between the more C-terminal SH-2 domain and the catalytic domain of the carcinoma PTPase.     

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases Mediate the Signaling Pathway of Stomatal Closure of Vicia faba L.

The regulation of stomatal movement is one of the most important signaling networks in plants.The H -ATPase at the plasma membrane of guard cells plays a critical role in the stomata opening, while there are some conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of the plasma membrane H -ATPase inhibitor,vanadate, in inhibiting stomata opening. We observed that 2 mmol/L vanadate hardly inhibited light-stimulated stomata opening in epidermal peels of Viciafaba L., but significantly inhibited dark- and ABA-induced stomatal closure. These results cannot be explained with the previous findings that H -ATPase was inhibited by vanadate. In view of the fact that vanadate is an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases),we investigated whether the stomatal movement regulated by vanadate is through the regulation of PTPase.As expected, phenylarsine oxide (PAO), a specific inhibitor of PTPase, has very similar effects and even more effective than vanadate. Typical PTPase activity was found in guard cells of V. faba; moreover, the phosphatase activity could be inhibited by both vanadate and PAO. These results not only provide a novel explanation for conflicting results about vanadate modulating stomatal movement, but also provide further evidence for the involvement of PTPases in modulating signal transduction of stomatal movement.     

PTPH1 is a predominant protein-tyrosine phosphatase capable of interacting with and dephosphorylating the T cell receptor zeta subunit

Protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) play key roles in regulating tyrosine phosphorylation levels in cells, yet the identity of their substrates remains limited. We report here on the identification of PTPases capable of dephosphorylating the phosphorylated immune tyrosine-based activation motifs present in the T cell receptor zeta subunit. To characterize these PTPases, we purified enzyme activities directed against the phosphorylated T cell receptor zeta subunit by a combination of anion and cation chromatography procedures. A novel ELISA-based PTPase assay was developed to rapidly screen protein fractions for enzyme activity following the various chromatography steps. We present data that SHP-1 and PTPH1 are present in highly enriched protein fractions that exhibit PTPase activities toward a tyrosine-phosphorylated TCR zeta substrate (specific activity ranging from 0.23 to 40 pmol/min/microg). We also used a protein-tyrosine phosphatase substrate-trapping library comprising the catalytic domains of 47 distinct protein-tyrosine phosphatases, representing almost all the tyrosine phosphatases identified in the human genome. PTPH1 was the predominant phosphatase capable of complexing phospho-zeta. Subsequent transfection assays indicated that SHP-1 and PTPH1 are the two principal PTPases capable of regulating the phosphorylation state of the TCR zeta ITAMs, with PTPH1 directly dephosphorylating zeta. This is the first reported demonstration that PTPH1 is a candidate PTPase capable of interacting with and dephosphorylating TCR zeta.     

Elevated expression and activity of protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B in skeletal muscle of insulin-resistant type II diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats

We investigated the cellular mechanism(s) of insulin resistance associated with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) using skeletal muscles isolated from non-obese, insulin resistant type II diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, a well known genetic rat model for type II diabetic humans. Relative to non-diabetic control rats (WKY), insulin-stimulated insulin receptor (IR) autophosphorylation and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) tyrosine phosphorylation were significantly inhibited in GK skeletal muscles. This may be due to increased dephosphorylation by a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase). Therefore, we measured skeletal muscle total PTPase and PTPase 1B activities in the skeletal muscles isolated from control rats (WKY) and diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats. PTPase activity was measured using a synthetic phosphopeptide, TRDIY(P)ETDY(P)Y(P)RK, as the substrate. Basal PTPase activity was 2-fold higher (P < 0.001) in skeletal muscle of GK rats when compared to WKY. Insulin infusion inhibited skeletal muscle PTPase activity in both control (26.20% of basal, P < 0.001) and GK (25.35% of basal, P < 0.001) rats. However, PTPase activity in skeletal muscle of insulin-stimulated GK rats was 200% higher than hormone-treated WKY controls (P < 0.001). Immunoprecipitation of PTPase 1B from skeletal muscle lysates and analysis of the enzyme activity in immunoprecipitates indicated that both basal and insulin-stimulated PTPase 1B activities were significantly higher (twofold, P < 0.001) in skeletal muscle of diabetic GK rats when compared to WKY controls. The increase in PTPase 1B activity in diabetic GK rats was associated with an increased expression of the PTPase 1B protein. We concluded that insulin resistance of GK rats is accompanied atleast by an abnormal regulation of PTPase 1B. Elevated PTPase 1B activity through enhanced tyrosine dephosphorylation of the insulin receptor and its substrates, may lead to impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in GK rats.     

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases Mediate the Signaling Pathway of Stomatal Closure of Vicia faba L.

The regulation of stomatal movement is one of the most important signaling networks in plants.The H^ -ATPase at the plasma membrane of guard cells plays a critical role in the stomata opening, while there are some conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of the plasma membrane H^ -ATPase inhibitor,vanadate, in inhibiting stomata opening. We observed that 2 mmol/L vanadate hardly inhibited light-stimulated stomata opening in epidermal peels of Vicia faba L., but significantly inhibited dark- and ABA-induced stomatal closure. These results cannot be explained with the previous findings that H~-ATPase was inhibited by vanadate. In view of the fact that vanadate is an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases),we investigated whether the stomatal movement regulated by vanadate is through the regulation of PTPase,As expected, phenylarsine oxide (PAO), a specific inhibitor of PTPase, has very similar effects and even more effective than vanadate. Typical PTPase activity was found in guard cells of V.faba; moreover, the phosphatase activity could be inhibited by both vanadate and PAO. These results not only provide a novel explanation for conflicting results about vanadate modulating stomatal movement, but also provide further evidence for the involvement of PTPases in modulating signal transduction of stomatal movement.     

Protein tyrosine phosphatases

Insulin receptor signal transduction plays a critical role in regulating pancreatic β-cell function, notably the acute first-phase insulin release in response to glucose. The basis for insulin resistance in pancreatic β-cells is not well understood but may be related to abnormal regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation events, which, in turn, may alter organization of insulin-signaling molecules in space and time. Members of the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) family are both functionally and structurally diverse; and within the past few years data have emerged from many laboratories that suggest selectivity of the PTPase catalytic domains toward cellular substrates. Of significance, a subset of PTPases has been implicated in the regulation of insulin signaling in a number of insulin-sensitive tissues. Alteration in PTPase expression or activity has been associated with abnormal regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation events and is accompanied by modulation of insulin sensitivity in vivo. Manipulations aimed at reducing expression of physiologically relevant PTPases acting at a step proximal to the insulin receptor are accompanied by normalization of blood glucose levels and improved insulin sensitivity in both normal and diabetic animals. Hence, the development of tissue-specific gene inactivation strategies should facilitate the study of the potential role of PTPases in β-cell insulin signaling transduction.     

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B is Impaired in Skeletal Muscle of Diabetic Psammomys Obesus

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) have been suggested to modulate the insulin receptor signal transduction pathways.We studied PTPases in Psammomys obesus, an animal model of nutritionally induced insulin resistance. No changes in the protein expression level of src homology PTPase 2 (SHP-2) (muscle, liver) or leukocyte antigen receptor (LAR) (liver) were detected. In contrast, the expression level of PTPase 1B (PTP 1B) in the skeletal muscle, but not in liver, was increased by 83% in the diabetic animals, compared with a diabetes-resistant line. However, PTP 1B– specific activity (activity/protein) significantly decreased (50% to 56%) in skeletal muscle of diabetic animals, compared with both the diabetes-resistant line and diabetes-prone animals. In addition, PTP 1B activity was inversely correlated to serum glucose level (r = –.434, P < .02). These findings suggest that PTP 1B, though overexpressed, is not involved in the susceptibility to insulin resistance in Psammomys obesus and is secondarily attenuated by hyperglycemia or other factors in the diabetic milieu.     

Insulin-like effect of vanadate on malic enzyme and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat liver

The effect of oral administration of sodium orthovanadate on hepatic malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) activities was investigated in nondiabetic and diabetic rats. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were characterized by 4.7-fold increase in plasma glucose and 82% decrease in plasma insulin levels. The activities of hepatic malic enzyme and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were also diminished (P less than 0.001). Vanadate treatment in diabetic rats led to a significant decrease (P less than 0.001) in plasma glucose levels and to the normalization of enzyme activities, but it did not alter plasma insulin levels. In nondiabetic rats vanadate decreased the plasma insulin level by 64% without altering the enzyme activities. Significant correlation was observed between plasma insulin and hepatic lipogenic enzyme activities in untreated and vanadate-treated rats. Vanadate administration caused a shift to left in this correlation suggesting improvement in insulin sensitivity.     

Porcine liver low Mr phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase: The amino acid sequence

Porcine low M_r phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase has been purified and the complete amino acid sequence has been determined. Both enzymic and chemical cleavages are used to obtain protein fragments. FAB mass spectrometry and enzymic subdigestion followed by Edman degradation have been used to determine the structure of the NH₂-terminal acylated tryptic peptide. The enzyme consists of 157 amino acid residues, is acetylated at the NH₂-terminus, and has arginine as COOH-terminal residue. It shows kinetic parameters very similar to other known low Mr PTPases. This PTPase is strongly inhibited by pyridoxal 5-phosphate (K=21M) like the low Mr PTPases from bovine liver, rat liver (AcP2 isoenzyme), and human erythrocyte (Bslow isoenzyme). The comparison of the 40–73 sequence with the corresponding sequence of other low Mr PTPases from different sources demonstrates that this isoform is highly homologous to the isoforms mentioned above, and shows a lower homology degree with respect to rat AcP1 and human Bfast isoforms. A classification of low M_r PTPase isoforms based on the type-specific sequence and on the sensitivity to pyridoxal 5-phosphate inhibition has been proposed.Abbreviations used PTPase phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase - TFA trifluoroacetic acid - SDS sodium dodecylsulfate - T tryptic peptides - SP endoproteinase Glu-C peptides - FAB fast atom bombardment - Ac acetyl - HPLC high-performance liquid chromatography - OPA o-phtaldialdehyde - PMSF phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride - CD45 leukocyte common-antigen PTPase - LAR leukocyte-antigen-related PTPase - PTP IB human placental PTPase