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Biomedical subjects

T Kadowaki

Publications and source records attributed to T Kadowaki.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

The mechanism of insulin-induced signal transduction mediated by the insulin receptor substrate family.

Distinct from other growth factor receptors, insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptors phosphorylate endogenous substrates on tyrosine residues which in turn associate with the SH2 domain-containing proteins transducing signals to downstream pathways. Among the cellular substrates of insulin and IGF-I receptors, insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 has been shown to play an important role in mediating the actions of these hormones. Recently, several proteins with similar structures and different tissue distributions were cloned as IRS-2, -3 and -4. To study the roles of these IRSs in mediating insulin actions, we analyzed liver, muscle and adipocytes, the major targets of insulin actions, from IRS-1 null mice which we previously generated, and showed that: 1) insulin-stimulated activation of PI 3-kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase and glucose transport were impaired in muscles from IRS-1 null mice which was in contrast to the grossly normal signaling and actions in livers from these mice; 2) the difference in the degree of insulin resistance in these two major insulin targets appeared to depend on the amount of tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-2 compensating for IRS-1 deficiency; 3) insulin-induced activation of PI 3-kinase, glucose transport and GLUT4 translocation were impaired but not abolished in adipocytes from these mice in which IRS-3 was the major tyrosine-phosphorylated protein activating PI 3-kinase and at least partially mediating some residual insulin actions in the absence of IRS-1. These data suggest that the members of the IRS family redundantly regulate insulin actions in each target organ in a distinct fashion.

Adipocytes↗

Evaluation of passive smoking by measuring urinary trans, trans-muconic acid and exhaled carbon monoxide levels.

No method has yet been established to evaluate the exposure to tobacco smoke in passive smoking (PS). We therefore conducted a study on the possibility that the levels of urinary trans, trans-muconic acid (MA) and the exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) could be indices of the passive exposure to tobacco smoke. The moderate correlation was observed between urinary MA levels and the number of consumed cigarettes per day in smokers. The mean urinary MA level of the PS (+) group was significantly higher than that with the PS (-) group. Among the PS (+) group, the mean MA level in the urine obtained in the afternoon was higher than that obtained in the morning. A high correlation was observed between the exhaled CO levels and the number of consumed cigarettes per day in smokers. Like the urinary MA level, the mean exhaled CO level in the PS (+) group, too, gave a significantly higher level than in the PS (-) group. Because the biological half life of MA (7.5 +/- 0.85 h) was longer than that of CO (3.0 +/- 0.36 h), the measurement of urinary MA level is recommended for evaluating the exposure of passive smoking. The measurement of exhaled CO levels is useful only for chain smokers and nonsmokers with PS just before measurement.

Adult↗

[Role of the NADH shuttle system in glucose-induced insulin secretion].

To determine the role of the NADH shuttle system composed of the glycerol phosphate shuttle and malate-aspartate shuttle in glucose-induced insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells, we have generated mice which lack mitochondrial glycerol-3 phosphate dehydrogenase (mGPDH), a rate-limiting enzyme of the glycerol phosphate shuttle. When both shuttles were halted in mGPDH-deficient islets treated with aminooxyacetate, an inhibitor of the malate-aspartate shuttle, glucose-induced insulin secretion was almost completely abrogated. Under these conditions, although the flux of glycolysis and supply of glucose-derived pyruvate into mitochondria were unaffected, glucose-induced increases in NAD(P)H autofluorescence, mitochondrial membrane potential, Ca2+ entry into mitochondria, and ATP content were severely attenuated. This study provides the first direct evidence that the NADH shuttle system is essential for coupling glycolysis with the activation of mitochondrial energy metabolism to trigger glucose-induced insulin secretion and thus revises the classical model for the metabolic signals of glucose-induced insulin secretion.

Animals↗

Arg-gingipain acts as a major processing enzyme for various cell surface proteins in Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Arg-gingipain (RGP) is an Arg-X-specific cysteine proteinase produced by the Gram-negative anaerobe Porphyromonas gingivalis and has been shown to be a potent virulence factor in progressive periodontal disease (Nakayama, K., Kadowaki, T., Okamoto, K., and Yamamoto, K. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 23619-23626). In this study, we provide evidence that RGP acts as a major processing enzyme for various cell surface and secretory proteins in P. gingivalis. Fimbrilin, a major component of fimbriae, remained in the precursor form in the RGP-null mutant. Prefimbrilin expressed in Escherichia coli was converted to the mature fimbrilin in vitro when incubated with purified RGP, but its conversion was suppressed by potent RGP inhibitors. The results were consistent with the electron microscopic observation indicating little or no fimbriation in the RGP-null mutant. The immunogenic 75-kDa cell surface protein was also shown to retain its proform in the RGP-null mutant. In addition, Lys-gingipain (KGP) was found to be abnormally processed in the RGP-null mutant. In contrast, both prefimbrilin and the 75-kDa protein precursor were processed to their respective mature forms in the KGP-null mutant, suggesting that KGP is not involved in the normal processing mechanisms of these proteins. These results suggest that RGP not only acts as a direct virulence factor but also makes a significant contribution as a major processing enzyme to the virulence of P. gingivalis.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

Effect of the Pro12Ala variant of the human peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma 2 gene on adiposity, fat distribution, and insulin sensitivity in Japanese men.

To examine the role of the Pro12Ala variant of the human PPARgamma2 gene on adiposity and insulin resistance, we studied the effect of the variant on fat distribution assessed by CT scan, plasma glucose, and insulin levels during a 75g oral glucose load in 215 non-diabetic Japanese men. The allele frequency of the variant was 0. 03 in this population. There were no differences in body mass index (BMI), subcutaneous fat area (S), visceral fat area (V), V/S ratio, fasting plasma insulin levels, or insulin resistance index in homeostatic model assessment between 203 subjects who were homozygous for the wild-type Pro12 allele and 12 subjects with the variant Ala12 allele (11 heterozygotes and one homozygote). These data suggest that the Pro12Ala variant is not a major contributor to adiposity, fat distribution, or insulin resistance in Japanese men.

Adipose Tissue↗

Mechanical stretch induces hypertrophic responses in cardiac myocytes of angiotensin II type 1a receptor knockout mice.

Many lines of evidence have suggested that angiotensin II (AngII) plays an important role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy through AngII type 1 receptor (AT1). To determine whether AngII is indispensable for the development of mechanical stress-induced cardiac hypertrophy, we examined the activity of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family and the expression of the c-fos gene as hypertrophic responses after stretching cultured cardiac myocytes of AT1a knockout (KO) mice. When cardiac myocytes were stretched by 20% for 10 min, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERKs) were strongly activated in KO cardiomyocytes as well as wild type (WT) myocytes. Both basal and stimulated levels of ERKs were higher in cardiomyocytes of KO mice than in those of WT mice. Activation of another member of the MAPK family, p38(MAPK), and expression of the c-fos gene were also induced by stretching cardiac myocytes of both types of mice. An AT1 antagonist attenuated stretch-induced activation of ERKs in WT cardiomyocytes but not in KO cardiomyocytes. Down-regulation of protein kinase C inhibited stretch-induced ERK activation in WT cardiomyocytes, whereas a broad spectrum tyrosine kinase inhibitor (genistein) and selective inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor (tyrphostin, AG1478, and B42) suppressed stretch-induced activation of ERKs in KO cardiac myocytes. Epidermal growth factor receptor was phosphorylated at tyrosine residues by stretching cardiac myocytes of KO mice. These results suggest that mechanical stretch could evoke hypertrophic responses in cardiac myocytes that lack the AT1 signaling pathway possibly through tyrosine kinase activation.

Animals↗

Involvement of a lysine-specific cysteine proteinase in hemoglobin adsorption and heme accumulation by Porphyromonas gingivalis.

The oral anaerobic bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major pathogen of advanced adult periodontitis, produces a novel class of cysteine proteinases in both cell-associated and secretory forms. A lysine-specific cysteine proteinase (Lys-gingipain, KGP), as well as an arginine-specific cysteine proteinase (Arg-gingipain), is a major trypsin-like proteinase of the organism. Recent studies indicate that the secreted KGP is implicated in the destruction of periodontal tissue and the disruption of host defense mechanisms. In this study, we have constructed a KGP-deficient mutant to determine whether the cell-associated KGP is important for pathophysiology of the organism. Although the mutant retained the strong ability to disrupt the bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, its hemagglutination activity was reduced to about one-half that observed with the wild-type strain. More important, the mutant did not form black-pigmented colonies on blood agar plates, indicating the defect of hemoglobin adsorption and heme accumulation. Immunoblot analysis showed that the expression of a 19-kDa hemoglobin receptor protein, which is thought to be responsible for hemoglobin binding by the organism, was greatly retarded in this mutant. The mutant also showed a marked decrease in the ability to degrade fibrinogen. These results suggest the possible involvement of KGP in the hemoglobin binding and heme accumulation of the organism and in the bleeding tendency in periodontal pockets.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

Ethidium bromide-induced inhibition of mitochondrial gene transcription suppresses glucose-stimulated insulin release in the mouse pancreatic beta-cell line betaHC9.

Recently, a mitochondrial mutation was found to be associated with maternally inherited diabetes mellitus (Kadowaki, T., Kadowaki, H., Mori, Y., Tobe, K., Sakuta, R., Suzuki, Y., Tanabe, Y, Sakura, H., Awata, T., Goto, Y., Hayakawa, T., Matsuoka, K., Kawamori, R., Kamada, T., Horai, S., Nonaka, I., Hagura, R., Akanuma, Y., and Yazaki, Y. (1994) N. Engl. J. Med. 330, 962-968). In order to elucidate its etiology, we have investigated the involvement of mitochondrial function in insulin secretion. Culture of the pancreatic beta-cell line, betaHC9, with low dose ethidium bromide (EB) (0.4 microg/ml) for 2-6 days resulted in a substantial decrease in the transcription level of mitochondrial DNA (to 10-20% of the control cells) without changing its copy number, whereas the transcription of nuclear genes was grossly unaffected. Electron microscopic analysis revealed that treatment by EB caused morphological changes only in mitochondria and not in other organelles such as nuclei, endoplasmic reticula, Golgi bodies, or secretory granules. When the cells were treated with EB for 6 days, glucose (20 mM) could no longer stimulate insulin secretion, while glibenclamide (1 microM) still did. When EB was removed after 3- or 6-day treatment, mitochondrial gene transcription recovered within 2 days, and the profiles of insulin secretion returned to normal within 7 days. Studies with fura-2 indicated that in EB-treated cells, glucose (20 mM) failed to increase intracellular Ca2+, while the effect of glibenclamide (1 microM) was maintained. Our system provides a unique way to investigate the relationship between mitochondrial function and insulin secretion.

Animals↗

Growth hormone and prolactin stimulate tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1, -2, and -3, their association with p85 phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase), and concomitantly PI3-kinase activation via JAK2 kinase.

Growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) binding to their receptors, which belong to the cytokine receptor superfamily, activate Janus kinase (JAK) 2 tyrosine kinase, thereby leading to their biological actions. We recently showed that GH mainly stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor and its association with Grb2, and concomitantly stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activity in liver, a major target tissue. Using specific antibodies, we now show that GH was also able to induce tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1/IRS-2 in liver. In addition, the major tyrosine-phosphorylated protein in anti-p85 phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) immunoprecipitate from liver of wild-type mice was IRS-1, and IRS-2 in IRS-1 deficient mice, but not epidermal growth factor receptor. These data suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 may be a major mechanism for GH-induced PI3-kinase activation in physiological target organ of GH, liver. We also show that PRL was able to induce tyrosine phosphorylation of both IRS-1 and IRS-2 in COS cells transiently transfected with PRLR and in CHO-PRLR cells. Moreover, we show that tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-3 was induced by both GH and PRL in COS cells transiently transfected with IRS-3 and their cognate receptors. By using the JAK2-deficient cell lines or by expressing a dominant negative JAK2 mutant, we show that JAK2 is required for the GH- and PRL-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1, -2, and -3. Finally, a specific PI3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin, completely blocked the anti-lipolytic effect of GH in 3T3 L1 adipocytes. Taken together, the role of IRS-1, -2, and -3 in GH and PRL signalings appears to be phosphorylated by JAK2, thereby providing docking sites for p85 PI3-kinase and activating PI3-kinase and its downstream biological effects.

Androstadienes↗

Hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and impaired endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation in mice lacking insulin receptor substrate-1.

Insulin resistance is often associated with atherosclerotic diseases in subjects with obesity and impaired glucose tolerance. This study examined the effects of insulin resistance on coronary risk factors in IRS-1 deficient mice, a nonobese animal model of insulin resistance. Blood pressure and plasma triglyceride levels were significantly higher in IRS-1 deficient mice than in normal mice. Impaired endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation was also observed in IRS-1 deficient mice. Furthermore, lipoprotein lipase activity was lower than in normal mice, suggesting impaired lipolysis to be involved in the increase in plasma triglyceride levels under insulin-resistant conditions. Thus, insulin resistance plays an important role in the clustering of coronary risk factors which may accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis in subjects with insulin resistance.

Animals↗

Troglitazone increases the number of small adipocytes without the change of white adipose tissue mass in obese Zucker rats.

Troglitazone (CS-045) is one of the thiazolidinediones that activate the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), which is expressed primarily in adipose tissues. To elucidate the mechanism by which troglitazone relieves insulin resistance in vivo, we studied its effects on the white adipose tissues of an obese animal model (obese Zucker rat). Administration of troglitazone for 15 d normalized mild hyperglycemia and marked hyperinsulinemia in these rats. Plasma triglyceride level was decreased by troglitazone in both obese and lean rats. Troglitazone did not change the total weight of white adipose tissues but increased the number of small adipocytes (< 2,500 micron2) approximately fourfold in both retroperitoneal and subcutaneous adipose tissues of obese rats. It also decreased the number of large adipocytes (> 5,000 micron2) by approximately 50%. In fact, the percentage of apoptotic nuclei was approximately 2.5-fold higher in the troglitazone-treated retroperitoneal white adipose tissue than control. Concomitantly, troglitazone normalized the expression levels of TNF-alpha which were elevated by 2- and 1.4-fold in the retroperitoneal and mesenteric white adipose tissues of the obese rats, respectively. Troglitazone also caused a dramatic decrease in the expression levels of leptin, which were increased by 4-10-fold in the white adipose tissues of obese rats. These results suggest that the primary action of troglitazone may be to increase the number of small adipocytes in white adipose tissues, presumably via PPARgamma. The increased number of small adipocytes and the decreased number of large adipocytes in white adipose tissues of troglitazone-treated obese rats appear to be an important mechanism by which increased expression levels of TNF-alpha and higher levels of plasma lipids are normalized, leading to alleviation of insulin resistance.

Adipocytes↗

Potential role of protein kinase B in insulin-induced glucose transport, glycogen synthesis, and protein synthesis.

Various biological responses stimulated by insulin have been thought to be regulated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, including glucose transport, glycogen synthesis, and protein synthesis. However, the molecular link between phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and these biological responses has been poorly understood. Recently, it has been shown that protein kinase B (PKB/c-Akt/Rac) lies immediately downstream from phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Here, we show that expression of a constitutively active form of PKB induced glucose uptake, glycogen synthesis, and protein synthesis in L6 myotubes downstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and independent of Ras and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Introduction of constitutively active PKB induced glucose uptake and protein synthesis but not glycogen synthesis in 3T3L-1 adipocytes, which lack expression of glycogen synthase kinase 3 different from L6 myotubes. Furthermore, we show that deactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 and activation of rapamycin-sensitive serine/threonine kinase by PKB in L6 myotubes might be involved in the enhancement of glycogen synthesis and protein synthesis, respectively. These results suggest that PKB acts as a key enzyme linking phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation to multiple biological functions of insulin through regulation of downstream kinases in skeletal muscle, a major target tissue of insulin.

3T3 Cells↗

Cell type-specific angiotensin II-evoked signal transduction pathways: critical roles of Gbetagamma subunit, Src family, and Ras in cardiac fibroblasts.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) induces hypertrophy of cardiac myocytes and hyperplasia of cardiac fibroblasts. To determine the molecular mechanism by which Ang II displayed different effects on cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts, we examined signal transduction pathways leading to activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs). Ang II-induced ERK activation was abolished by pretreatment with pertussis toxin and by overexpression of the Gbetagamma subunit-binding domain of the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase 1 in cardiac fibroblasts but not in cardiac myocytes. Inhibition of protein kinase C strongly inhibited activation of ERKs by Ang II in cardiac myocytes, whereas inhibitors of tyrosine kinases but not of protein kinase C abolished Ang II-induced ERK activation in cardiac fibroblasts. Overexpression of C-terminal Src kinase (Csk), which inactivates Src family tyrosine kinases, suppressed the activation of transfected ERK in cardiac fibroblasts. Ang II rapidly induced phosphorylation of Shc and association of Shc with Grb2. Cotransfection of the dominant-negative mutant of Ras or Raf-1 kinase abolished Ang II-induced ERK activation in cardiac fibroblasts. Overexpression of Csk or the dominant-negative mutant of Ras had no effects on Ang II-induced ERK activation in cardiac myocytes. These findings suggest that Ang II-evoked signal transduction pathways differ among cell types. In cardiac fibroblasts, Ang II activates ERKs through a pathway including the Gbetagamma subunit of Gi protein, tyrosine kinases including Src family tyrosine kinases, Shc, Grb2, Ras, and Raf-1 kinase, whereas Gq and protein kinase C are important in cardiac myocytes.

Angiotensin II↗

Involvement of p85 in p53-dependent apoptotic response to oxidative stress.

Reactive oxygen species have damaging effects on cellular components and so trigger defensive responses by the cell and even programmed cell death, although the mechanisms by which mammalian cells transmit signals in response to oxidative damage are unknown. We report here that the protein p85, a regulator of the signalling protein phosphatidyl-3-OH kinase (PI(3)K), participates in the cell death process that is induced in response to oxidative stress and that this role of p85 in apoptosis does not involve PI(3)K. We show that disruption of p85 by homologous recombination impairs the cellular apoptotic response to oxidative stress. Because the protein p53 is required for cell death induced by oxidative damage, we examined the relation between p85 and p53. Using a chimaeric p53 fusion protein with the oestrogen receptor (p53ER) to supply p53 (p53 is induced upon binding of p53ER to oestradiol) in a p53-deficient cell line, we found that p85 is upregulated by p53 and that its involvement in p53-mediated apoptosis is independent of PI(3)K. We propose that p85 acts as a signal transducer in the cellular response to oxidative stress, mediating cell death regulated by p53.

Androstadienes↗