Role of SGK1 kinase in regulating glucose transport via glucose transporter GLUT4

Insulin stimulates glucose transport into muscle and fat cells by enhancing GLUT4 abundance in the plasma membrane through activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Protein kinase B (PKB) and PKCzeta are known PI3K downstream targets in the regulation of GLUT4. The serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase SGK1 is similarly activated by insulin and capable to regulate cell surface expression of several metabolite transporters. In this study, we evaluated the putative role of SGK1 in the modulation of GLUT4. Coexpression of the kinase along with GLUT4 in Xenopus oocytes stimulated glucose transport. The enhanced GLUT4 activity was paralleled by increased transporter abundance in the plasma membrane. Disruption of the SGK1 phosphorylation site on GLUT4 ((S274A)GLUT4) abrogated the stimulating effect of SGK1. In summary, SGK1 promotes glucose transporter membrane abundance via GLUT4 phosphorylation at Ser274. Thus, SGK1 may contribute to the insulin and GLUT4-dependent regulation of cellular glucose uptake.     

Activation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 by insulin.

The transport of glucose into cells and tissues is a highly regulated process, mediated by a family of facilitative glucose transporters (GLUTs). Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake is primarily mediated by the transporter isoform GLUT4, which is predominantly expressed in mature skeletal muscle and fat tissues. Our recent work suggests that two separate pathways are initiated in response to insulin: (i) to recruit transporters to the cell surface from intracellular pools and (ii) to increase the intrinsic activity of the transporters. These pathways are differentially inhibited by wortmannin, demonstrating that the two pathways do not operate in series. Conversely, inhibitors of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) imply that p38 MAPK is involved only in the regulation of the pathway leading to the insulin-stimulated activation of GLUT4. This review discusses the evidence for the divergence of GLUT4 translocation and activity and proposed mechanisms for the regulation of GLUT4.     

Regulation of protein kinase Cδ downregulation by protein kinase Cε and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2

Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of PKCs can regulate their activity, stability and function. We have previously shown that downregulation of PKCδ by tumor promoting phorbol esters was compromised when HeLa cells acquired resistance to cisplatin (HeLa/CP). In the present study, we have used these cells to understand the mechanism of PKCδ downregulation. A brief treatment of HeLa cells with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) induced phosphorylation of PKCδ at the activation loop (Thr505), turn motif (Ser643), hydrophobic motif (Ser662) and Tyr-311 sites to a greater extent in HeLa/CP cells compared to HeLa cells. Prolonged treatment with PDBu led to downregulation of PKCδ in HeLa but not in HeLa/CP cells. The PKC inhibitor Gö 6983 inhibited PDBu-induced downregulation of PKCδ, decreased Thr505 phosphorylation and increased PKCδ tyrosine phosphorylation at Tyr-311 site. However, knockdown of c-Abl, c-Src, Fyn and Lyn had little effect on PKCδ downregulation and Tyr311 phosphorylation. Pretreatment with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor Ly294002 and mTOR inhibitor rapamycin restored the ability of PDBu to downregulate PKCδ in HeLa/CP cells. Knockdown of mTOR and rictor but not raptor facilitated PKCδ downregulation. Depletion of PKCε also enhanced PKCδ downregulation by PDBu. These results suggest that downregulation of PKCδ is regulated by PKCε and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2).     

Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase is a component of glucose transporter (GLUT 4)-containing vesicles.

We recently developed a procedure for immunoisolating insulin-responsive membrane vesicles that contain the muscle/fat glucose transporter isoform, GLUT 4, from rat adipocytes. Utilizing this methodology, we are analyzing the components of these vesicles to gain an understanding of how they are regulated by insulin. In this report we identify a phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 4-kinase as a constituent of glucose transporter vesicles (GTVs). This kinase has the biochemical and immunological properties of a type II PtdIns 4-kinase as classified by Endeman et al. (Endemann, G., Dunn, S. N., and Cantley, L. C. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 6845-6852). A monoclonal antibody, 4C5G, which specifically inhibits the type II PtdIns 4-kinase, suppresses 80% of the GTV-PtdIns 4-kinase activity. In addition, the GTVs-PtdIns 4-kinase is maximally activated by the nonionic detergent Triton X-100, at a concentration of 0.2% and is inhibited by adenosine with a Ki of approximately 20-30 microM. We find that the GTVs do not contain any PtdIns4P 5-kinase or diacylglycerol kinase activities, whereas these activities were detected in the plasma membrane. An analysis of the subcellular distribution of PtdIns 4-kinase activity in the rat adipocyte shows that there are similar levels of activity in GTVs, plasma membranes, and the high and low density microsomal fractions, whereas the mitochondria- and nuclei-containing fractions have less than 5% of the activity seen in other fractions. Low density microsomes were subfractionated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation and PtdIns 4-kinase activity was found to correlate closely with the distribution of membrane protein, indicating that the activity is equally distributed throughout this heterogenous population of membranes. PtdIns 4-kinase activity measured in GTVs, plasma membranes, and low density microsomes, was not affected by prior treatment of the intact adipocytes with 35 nM insulin. We postulate that while the GTV-PtdIns 4-kinase is not regulated by insulin, it may play a role in defining the fusogenic properties necessary to mediate membrane movement between the GTVs, plasma membranes, and microsomes.     

Inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin induces phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent and Mnk-mediated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E phosphorylation

The initiation factor eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) plays a critical role in initiating translation of mRNAs, including those encoding oncogenic proteins. Therefore, eIF4E is considered a survival protein involved in cell cycle progression, cell transformation, and apoptotic resistance. Phosphorylation of eIF4E (usually at Ser209) increases its binding affinity for the cap of mRNA and may also favor its entry into initiation complexes. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors suppress cap-dependent translation through inhibition of the phosphorylation of eIF4E-binding protein 1. Paradoxically, we have shown that inhibition of mTOR signaling increases eIF4E phosphorylation in human cancer cells. In this study, we focused on revealing the mechanism by which mTOR inhibition increases eIF4E phosphorylation. Silencing of either mTOR or raptor could mimic mTOR inhibitors' effects to increase eIF4E phosphorylation. Moreover, knockdown of mTOR, but not rictor or p70S6K, abrogated rapamycin's ability to increase eIF4E phosphorylation. These results indicate that mTOR inhibitor-induced eIF4E phosphorylation is secondary to mTOR/raptor inhibition and independent of p70S6K. Importantly, mTOR inhibitors lost their ability to increase eIF4E phosphorylation only in cells where both Mnk1 and Mnk2 were knocked out, indicating that mTOR inhibitors increase eIF4E phosphorylation through a Mnk-dependent mechanism. Given that mTOR inhibitors failed to increase Mnk and eIF4E phosphorylation in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-deficient cells, we conclude that mTOR inhibition increases eIF4E phosphorylation through a PI3K-dependent and Mnk-mediated mechanism. In addition, we also suggest an effective therapeutic strategy for enhancing mTOR-targeted cancer therapy by cotargeting mTOR signaling and Mnk/eIF4E phosphorylation.     

Stimulation of protein synthesis, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E phosphorylation, and PHAS-I phosphorylation by insulin requires insulin receptor substrate 1 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.

Insulin rapidly stimulates protein synthesis in a wide variety of tissues. This stimulation is associated with phosphorylation of several translational initiation and elongation factors, but little is known about the signaling pathways to these events. To study these pathways, we have used a myeloid progenitor cell line (32D) which is dependent on interleukin 3 but insensitive to insulin because of the very low levels of insulin receptor (IR) and the complete lack of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-signaling proteins (IRS-1 and IRS-2). Expression of more IR permits partial stimulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase by insulin, and expression of IRS-1 alone mediates insulin stimulation of the 70-kDa S6 kinase (pp70S6K) by the endogenous IR. However, expression of both IR and IRS-1 is required for stimulation of protein synthesis. Moreover, this effect requires activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), as determined by wortmannin inhibition and the use of an IRS-1 variant lacking all Tyr residues except those which activate PI3K. Stimulation of general protein synthesis does not involve activation by IRS-1 of GRB-2-SOS-p21ras or SH-PTP2, since IRS-1 variants lacking the SH2-binding Tyr residues for these proteins are fully active. Nor does it involve pp70S6K, since rapamycin, while strongly inhibiting the synthesis of a small subset of growth-regulated proteins, only slightly inhibits total protein synthesis. Recruitment of mRNAs to the ribosome is enhanced by phosphorylation of eIF4E, the cap-binding protein, and PHAS-I, a protein that specifically binds eIF4E. The behavior of cell lines containing IRS-1 variants and inhibition by wortmannin and rapamycin indicate that the phosphorylation of both proteins requires IRS-1-mediated stimulation of PI3K and pp70S6K but not mitogen-activated protein kinase or SH-PTP2.     

Role of adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase subunits in skeletal muscle mammalian target of rapamycin signaling

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an important energy-sensing protein in skeletal muscle. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) mediates translation initiation and protein synthesis through ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). AMPK activation reduces muscle protein synthesis by down-regulating mTOR signaling, whereas insulin mediates mTOR signaling via Akt activation. We hypothesized that AMPK-mediated inhibitory effects on mTOR signaling depend on catalytic alpha2 and regulatory gamma3 subunits. Extensor digitorum longus muscle from AMPK alpha2 knockout (KO), AMPK gamma3 KO, and respective wild-type (WT) littermates (C57BL/6) were incubated in the presence of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-d-ribonucleoside (AICAR), insulin, or AICAR plus insulin. Phosphorylation of AMPK, Akt, and mTOR-associated signaling proteins were assessed. Insulin increased Akt Ser473 phosphorylation (P < 0.01), irrespective of genotype or presence of AICAR. AICAR increased phosphorylation of AMPK Thr172 (P < 0.01) in WT but not KO mice. Insulin stimulation increased phosphorylation of S6K1 (Thr389), ribosomal protein S6 (Ser235/236), and 4E-BP1 (Thr37/46) (P < 0.01) in WT, AMPK alpha2 KO, and AMPK gamma3 KO mice. However, in WT mice, preincubation with AICAR completely inhibited insulin-induced phosphorylation of mTOR targets, suggesting mTOR signaling is blocked by prior AMPK activation. The AICAR-induced inhibition was partly rescued in extensor digitorum longus muscle from either alpha2 or gamma3 AMPK KO mice, indicating functional alpha2 and gamma3 subunits of AMPK are required for the reduction in mTOR signaling. AICAR alone was without effect on basal phosphorylation of S6K1 (Thr389), ribosomal protein S6 (Ser235/236), and 4E-BP1 (Thr37/46). In conclusion, functional alpha2 and gamma3 AMPK subunits are required for AICAR-induced inhibitory effects on mTOR signaling.     

EFR3 and phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase IIIα regulate insulin-stimulated glucose transport and GLUT4 dispersal in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Insulin stimulates glucose transport in muscle and adipocytes. This is achieved by regulated delivery of intracellular glucose transporter (GLUT4)-containing vesicles to the plasma membrane where they dock and fuse, resulting in increased cell surface GLUT4 levels. Recent work identified a potential further regulatory step, in which insulin increases the dispersal of GLUT4 in the plasma membrane away from the sites of vesicle fusion. EFR3 is a scaffold protein that facilitates localization of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase type IIIα to the cell surface. Here we show that knockdown of EFR3 or phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase type IIIα impairs insulin-stimulated glucose transport in adipocytes. Using direct stochastic reconstruction microscopy, we also show that EFR3 knockdown impairs insulin stimulated GLUT4 dispersal in the plasma membrane. We propose that EFR3 plays a previously unidentified role in controlling insulin-stimulated glucose transport by facilitating dispersal of GLUT4 within the plasma membrane.     

Activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Akt, and mammalian target of rapamycin is necessary for hypoxia-induced pulmonary artery adventitial fibroblast proliferation.

In contrast to cell types in which exposure to hypoxia causes a general reduction of metabolic activity, a remarkable feature of pulmonary artery adventitial fibroblasts is their ability to proliferate in response to hypoxia. Previous studies have suggested that ERK1/2, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) are activated by hypoxia and play a role in a variety of cell responses. However, the pathways involved in mediating hypoxia-induced proliferation are largely unknown. Using pharmacological inhibitors, we established that PI3K-Akt, mTOR-p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K), and EKR1/2 signaling pathways play a critical role in hypoxia-induced adventitial fibroblast proliferation. We found that exposure of serum-starved fibroblasts to 3% O2 resulted in a time-dependent activation of PI3K and transient phosphorylation of Akt. However, activation of PI3K was not required for activation of ERK1/2, implying a parallel involvement of these pathways in the proliferative response of fibroblasts to hypoxia. We found that hypoxia induced significant increases in mTOR, p70S6K, 4E-BP1, and S6 ribosomal protein phosphorylation, as well as dramatic increases in p70S6K activity. The activation of p70S6K/S6 pathway was sensitive to inhibition by rapamycin and LY294002, indicating that mTOR and PI3K/Akt are upstream signaling regulators. However, the magnitude of hypoxia-induced p70S6K activity and phosphorylation suggests involvement of additional signaling pathways. Thus our data demonstrate that hypoxia-induced adventitial fibroblast proliferation requires activation and interaction of PI3K, Akt, mTOR, p70S6K, and ERK1/2 and provide evidence for hypoxic regulation of protein translational pathways in cells exhibiting the capability to proliferate under hypoxic conditions.     

Regulation of the rapamycin and FKBP-target 1/mammalian target of rapamycin and cap-dependent initiation of translation by the c-Abl protein-tyrosine kinase

The c-Abl protein-tyrosine kinase is activated by ionizing radiation and certain other DNA-damaging agents. The rapamycin and FKBP-target 1 (RAFT1), also known as FKBP12-rapamycin-associated protein (FRAP, mTOR), regulates the p70S6 kinase (p70(S6k)) and the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). The present results demonstrate that c-Abl binds directly to RAFT1 and phosphorylates RAFT1 in vitro and in vivo. c-Abl inhibits autophosphorylation of RAFT1 and RAFT1-mediated phosphorylation p70(S6k). The functional significance of the c-Abl-RAFT1 interaction is further supported by the finding that eIF4E-dependent translation in mouse embryo fibroblasts from Abl(-/-) mice is significantly higher than that compared in wild-type cells. The results also demonstrate that exposure of cells to ionizing radiation is associated with c-Abl-mediated binding of 4E-BP1 to eIF4E and inhibition of translation. These findings with the c-Abl tyrosine kinase represent the first demonstration of a negative physiologic regulator of RAFT1-mediated 5' cap-dependent translation.     

Intracellular network of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, mammalian target of the rapamycin/70 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase 1, and mitogen-activated protein kinases pathways for regulating mycobacteria-induced IL-23 expression in human macrophages

We previously demonstrated that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tbc)-induced interleukin (IL)-12 expression is negatively regulated by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 pathways in human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). To extend these studies, we examined the nature of the involvement of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and intracellular signalling pathways downstream from PI3K in M. tbc-induced IL-23 expression in human MDMs. M. tbc-induced Akt activation and IL-23 expression were essentially dependent on TLR2. Blockade of the mammalian targets of rapamycin (mTOR)/70 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) pathway by the specific inhibitor rapamycin greatly enhanced M. tbc-induced IL-12/IL-23 p40 (p40) and IL-23 p19 (p19) mRNA and IL-23 protein expression. In sharp contrast, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibition abrogated the p40 and p19 mRNA and IL-23 protein expression induced by M. tbc. Furthermore, the inhibition of PI3K-Akt, but not ERK 1/2 pathway, attenuated M. tbc-induced S6K1 phosphorylation, whereas PI3K inhibition enhanced p38 phosphorylation and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 activity during exposure to M. tbc. Although the negative or positive regulation of IL-23 was not reversed by neutralization of IL-10, it was significantly modulated by blocking TLR2. Collectively, these findings provide new insight into the homeostatic mechanism controlling type 1 immune responses during mycobacterial infection involving the intracellular network of PI3K, S6K1, ERK 1/2 and p38 MAPK pathways in a TLR2-dependent manner.     

A phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-independent insulin signaling pathway to N-WASP/Arp2/3/F-actin required for GLUT4 glucose transporter recycling.

Recruitment of intracellular glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to the plasma membrane of fat and muscle cells in response to insulin requires phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase as well as a proposed PI 3-kinase-independent pathway leading to activation of the small GTPase TC10. Here we show that in cultured adipocytes insulin causes acute cortical localization of the actin-regulatory neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) and actin-related protein-3 (Arp3) as well as cortical F-actin polymerization by a mechanism that is insensitive to the PI 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin. Expression of the dominant inhibitory N-WASP-DeltaWA protein lacking the Arp and actin binding regions attenuates the cortical F-actin rearrangements by insulin in these cells. Remarkably, the N-WASP-DeltaWA protein also inhibits insulin action on GLUT4 translocation, indicating dependence of GLUT4 recycling on N-WASP-directed cortical F-actin assembly. TC10 exhibits sequence similarity to Cdc42 and has been reported to bind N-WASP. We show the inhibitory TC10 (T31N) mutant, which abrogates insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation and glucose transport, also inhibits both cortical localization of N-WASP and F-actin formation in response to insulin. These findings reveal that N-WASP likely functions downstream of TC10 in a PI 3-kinase-independent insulin signaling pathway to mobilize cortical F-actin, which in turn promotes GLUT4 responsiveness to insulin.     

Subcellular compartmentalization and trafficking of the insulin-responsive glucose transporter, GLUT4.

Insulin increases glucose transport into cells of target tissues, primarily striated muscle and adipose. This is accomplished via the insulin-dependent translocation of the facilitative glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) from intracellular storage sites to the plasma membrane. Insulin binds to the cell-surface insulin receptor and activates its intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. The subsequent activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) is well known to be necessary for the recruitment of GLUT4 to the cell surface. Both protein kinase B (PKB) and the atypical protein kinase C(lambda/zeta) (PKClambda/zeta) appear to function downstream of PI 3-K, but how these effectors influence GLUT4 translocation remains unknown. In addition, emerging evidence suggests that a second signaling cascade that functions independently of the PI 3-K pathway is also required for the insulin-dependent translocation of GLUT4. This second pathway involves the Rho-family GTP binding protein TC10, which functions within the specialized environment of lipid raft microdomains at the plasma membrane. Future work is necessary to identify the downstream effectors that link TC10, PKB, and PKClambda/zeta to GLUT4 translocation. Progress in this area will come from a better understanding of the compartmentalization of GLUT4 within the cell and of the mechanisms responsible for targeting the transporter to specialized insulin-responsive storage compartments. Furthermore, an understanding of how GLUT4 is retained within and released from these compartments will facilitate the identification of downstream signaling molecules that function proximal to the GLUT4 storage sites.