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Glucose utilization during exercise: influence of endurance training.

During exercise skeletal muscle glucose utilization is higher than at rest. This is due to the combined effect of an increase in glucose supply, increased surface membrane glucose transport capacity and increased muscle glucose metabolism during exercise. The kinetics of glucose utilization in skeletal muscle during exercise in humans show an apparent Km of approximately 10 mM, indicating that changes in the blood glucose concentration around the physiological level of approximately 5 mM almost linearly translate into changes in muscle glucose utilization. The signalling events responsible for increased glucose transport in contracting muscle are not well understood, although calcium seems to be involved. Contractions do not utilize the proximal part of the insulin signalling cascade to activate glucose transport, because contractions do not cause phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 or activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Endurance training leads to a decrease in glucose utilization during submaximal exercise of a given absolute submaximal power output in spite of a large increase in the total muscle GLUT4 content. The molecular mechanism behind this decrease in glucose utilization seems to be blunted exercise-induced translocation of GLUT4 protein to the sarcolemma, in turn blunting the exercise-induced increase in sarcolemmal glucose transport capacity.

Animals↗

Glucose transporter gene expression in freshly isolated and cultured rat pneumocytes.

Alveolar epithelium in situ takes up luminal glucose by cotransport with sodium. Cultured alveolar type II pneumocytes have only sodium-independent glucose uptake. It is unclear which isoforms are responsible for glucose transport in these cells and why sodium-glucose cotransport activity disappears during culture. GLUT1, GLUT4, GLUT5 and SGLT1 mRNA were detected in freshly isolated rat alveolar type II cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. We show that SGLT1 mRNA was 90% lower in cells cultured in plastic wells for 2 or 4 days than in freshly isolated cells. mRNAs coding for the facilitated transporters were reduced from 40% (GLUT1) and 75% (GLUT4 and GLUT5) in cultured cells. Cells cultured at the air-liquid interface better preserved their phenotype as attested by significantly higher surfactant-associated protein mRNA levels. However, these cells had no higher GLUT1 and SGLT1 gene expression. Thus, alveolar type II cells lose sodium-glucose cotransport activity in part because of a decrease in mRNA levels. These changes in gene expression and/or mRNA stability may be an additional consequence of the shift towards the type I cell phenotype observed in cultured type II pneumocytes.

Animals↗

Cross-talk mechanisms in the development of insulin resistance of skeletal muscle cells palmitate rather than tumour necrosis factor inhibits insulin-dependent protein kinase B (PKB)/Akt stimulation and glucose uptake.

Insulin resistance in skeletal muscle is one of the earliest symptoms associated with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and nonesterified fatty acids have been proposed to be crucial factors in the development of the insulin-resistant state. We here show that, although TNF downregulated insulin-induced insulin receptor (IR) and IR substrate (IRS)-1 phosphorylation as well as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) activity in pmi28 myotubes, this was, unlike in adipocytes, not sufficient to affect insulin-induced glucose transport. Rather, TNF increased membrane expression of GLUT1 and glucose transport in these muscle cells. In contrast, the nonesterified fatty acid palmitate inhibited insulin-induced signalling cascades not only at the level of IR and IRS-1 phosphorylation, but also at the level protein kinase B (PKB/Akt), which is thought to be directly involved in the insulin-induced translocation of GLUT4, and inhibited insulin-induced glucose uptake. Palmitate also abrogated TNF-dependent enhancement of basal glucose uptake, suggesting that palmitate has the capacity to render muscle cells resistant not only to insulin but also to TNF with respect to glucose transport by GLUT4 and GLUT1, respectively. Our data illustrate the complexity of the mechanisms governing insulin resistance of skeletal muscle, questioning the role of TNF as a direct inhibitor of glucose homoeostasis in this tissue and shedding new light on an as yet unrecognized multifunctional role for the predominant nonesterified fatty acid palmitate in this process.

Animals↗

A beta3-adrenergic agonist increases muscle GLUT1/GLUT4 ratio, and regulates liver glucose utilization in diabetic rats.

AIM: Previous studies have reported that beta3-adrenergic agonists reduce plasma glucose levels in situations of hyperglycaemia and diabetes in rodents. Nevertheless, the mechanisms still remain unclear. In this context Trecadrine, a novel compound with affinity for beta3-adrenergic receptors, has been tested in alloxan-diabetic rats for its potential use as an anti-diabetic drug, but also to elucidate the role of muscle/liver glucose utilization in the process. METHODS AND RESULTS: Daily oral administration (1 mg/kg) to alloxan-diabetic Wistar rats (n = 10) for 4 days caused a significant reduction in plasma glucose levels (from 15.0 to 8.3 mmol/l) with no apparent effects on insulin secretion. Furthermore, Trecadrine administration tended to normalize glucose storage (estimated by measuring glucokinase activity) and output (by measuring glucose-6-phosphatase activity) in the liver of diabetic animals. On the other hand, Trecadrine administration for 4 days resulted in an increase in GLUT1 gene expression in gastrocnemius muscle as compared to insulin-dependent glucose transporter GLUT4. Furthermore, a significant stimulation of 2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake in extensor digitorum longus muscle and, in a lesser degree, in gastrocnemius, but not in soleus muscle and in white adipose tissue, occurs. CONCLUSIONS: Trecadrine reduces glucose output from the liver, thus thus contributing to the reduction of plasma glucose levels to achieve the values of control rats. Furthermore, Trecadrine administration stimulates glucose uptake in skeletal muscle, especially in those muscles with predominant glycolytic fast-twitched fibres, apparently by a direct non-insulin-dependent mechanism, involving a relative increase in the content of GLUT1 in the plasma membrane as compared with GLUT4. In conclusion, Trecadrine shows a potent hypoglycaemic effect in the alloxan-induced model of diabetes in rats by decreasing hepatic glucose output and improving muscle glucose uptake.

Adrenergic beta-3 Receptor Agonists↗

Expression of glucose transporters in human peritoneal mesothelial cells.

Glucose containing solutions, the basis of peritoneal dialysis fluids, affect the proliferation and regeneration of peritoneal mesothelial cells (MsC). The aim of this study was to examine mechanisms of glucose transport into MsC, that is, the expression of facilitative glucose transporters (GLUT) and the Na(+)-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1) in human primary MsC and a transfected MsC line. Since expression of both transporters is differentiation dependent, we investigated the effects of cell differentiation induced by culturing MsC on membranes or by addition of hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA; 6 mM), which enhances SGLT1 expression in LLC-PK1 cells. Levels of mRNA for GLUT1 through GLUT4 and SGLT1 were evaluated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The presence of the corresponding proteins was examined by Western blotting and localized by immunofluorescence. Active, Na(+)-dependent glucose transport was assessed by alpha-methyl-D-[14C]glucopyranoside (AMG) with and without the SGLT1-specific inhibitor phlorizin and by patch clamp experiments in NaCl or choline-chloride, For Na(+) dependent glucose uptake choline chloride instead of NaCl served as negative control. Facilitative transport was assessed using 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-[14C]-D-glucose (FDG) with and without the inhibitors cytochalasin B or phloretin. Primary and transfected MsC express GLUT1 and GLUT3 mRNA while no transcripts were found for GLUT2 and GLUT4. No SGLT1 transcript was detectable in subconfluent cells. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis documented that the addition of the differentiation inducer HMBA to confluent cultures or growth of MsC on membranes for seven days produced a down-regulation of mRNA for GLUT1, no change for GLUT3, and a substantial increase for SGLT1 mRNA. Under these conditions MsC express SGLT1 protein and possess a Na(+)-dependent glucose uptake as assessed by AMG. Phlorizin (1 mM) inhibits AMG uptake by 30 to 40%. In patch clamp experiments the addition of extracellular glucose depolarized the membrane potential only in the presence of sodium. These results indicate that differentiated MsC express GLUT1, GLUT3, and SGLT1. Further characterization of these transport mechanisms and their regulation may help to understand the cellular effects of glucose on MsC in peritoneal dialysis.

Base Sequence↗

N-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: a nutritional tool to prevent insulin resistance associated to type 2 diabetes and obesity?

n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA), mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3), are present in mammal tissues both from endogenous synthesis from desaturation and elongation of 18:3 n-3 and/or from dietary origin (marine products and fish oils). In rodents in vivo, n-3 LC-PUFA have a protective effect against high fat diet induced insulin resistance. Such an effect is explained at the molecular level by the prevention of many alterations of insulin signaling induced by a high fat diet. Indeed, the protective effect of n-3 LC-PUFA results from the following: (a) the prevention of the decrease of phosphatidyl inositol 3' kinase (PI3 kinase) activity and of the depletion of the glucose transporter protein GLUT4 in the muscle; (b) the prevention of the decreased expression of GLUT4 in adipose tissue. In addition, n-3 LC-PUFA inhibit both the activity and expression of liver glucose-6-phosphatase which could explain the protective effect with respect to the excessive hepatic glucose output induced by a high fat diet. n-3 LC-PUFA also decrease muscle intramyofibrillar triglycerides and liver steatosis. This last effect results on the one hand, from a decreased expression of lipogenesis enzymes and of delta 9 desaturase (via a depleting effect on sterol response element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c). On the other hand, n-3 LC-PUFA stimulate fatty acid oxidation in the liver (via the activation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPAR-alpha)). In patients with type 2 diabetes, fish oil dietary supplementation fails to reverse insulin resistance for unclear reasons, but systematically decreases plasma triglycerides. Conversely, in healthy humans, fish oil has many physiological effects. Indeed, fish oil reduces insulin response to oral glucose without altering the glycaemic response, abolishes extraggression at times of mental stress, decreases the activation of sympathetic activity during mental stress and also decreases plasma triglycerides. These effects are encouraging in the perspective of prevention of insulin resistance but further clinical and basic studies must be designed to confirm and complete our knowledge in this field.

Acetyltransferases↗

Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on glucose tolerance in the rat offspring.

Low birth weight in humans predisposes to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes in adult life. Alcohol exposure during pregnancy has been associated with fetal growth restriction. We investigated the effects of prenatal exposure to alcohol on glucose metabolism later in the offspring. Female Sprague Dawley rats were given ethanol (ETOH), 4 g/kg/day by gavage throughout pregnancy. Compared with controls, newborn ETOH rats had decreased body size (5.1 +/- 0.1 v 6.3 +/- 0.1 g, P <.001), plasma insulin (0.44 +/- 0.4 v 0.67 +/- 0.1 ng/mL, P <.05), and leptin mRNA (P <.05), but they had normal beta-cell mass and elevated adipose resistin mRNA and plasma glucose (5.0 +/- 0.5 v 3.6 +/- 0.3 mmol/L, P <.01). Food intake was decreased in ETOH rats during the fourth week of life, and body weight remained decreased compared with controls until a catch-up growth occurred by 7 weeks of life. At 13 weeks of age, body weight and beta-cell mass of ETOH offspring were normal, but plasma glucose and insulin after a glucose challenge were increased compared with controls (P <.05). Adipose leptin and hypothalamic Ob-R mRNA were not different from controls, but resistin was increased (P <.05), and muscle GLUT4 content was decreased (P <.05) in ETOH offspring compared with controls. The data suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure impairs glucose tolerance in the offspring by both inducing insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction. The prevailing mechanism in 3-month-old rat offspring appears to be insulin resistance, manifested by glucose intolerance and decreased GLUT4 despite hyperinsulinemia.

Animals↗

The HIV protease inhibitor indinavir impairs glycogen synthesis in HepG2 hepatoma cells.

HIV protease inhibitor treatment is associated with insulin resistance. We have recently demonstrated that the HIV protease inhibitor indinavir influences initial insulin signaling steps in HepG2 cells. Here we investigated in the same cell model whether indinavir alters insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis. Since an altered phosphotyrosine phosphatase activity could represent a mechanism by which insulin signaling is influenced, we also assessed potential indinavir effects on protein tyrosine phosphatase activity directed against tyrosine phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate-1. HepG2 cells were incubated for 48 h without or with indinavir (100 micro mol/l). Subsequently, the insulin-stimulated incorporation of 14C-glucose into glycogen was measured. In indinavir-treated cells the insulin effect on glycogen synthesis was reduced by 30 +/- 4.5 %. Dephosphorylation of immobilized tyrosine-phosphorylated insulin-receptor substrate-1 by the cell extracts was determined using a microwell plate-based method, and indinavir treatment did not alter this dephosphorylation. In conclusion, our data suggest that indinavir affects insulin-stimulation of glycogen synthesis in liver cells, and this may be related to the previously observed alterations in insulin signaling. Direct effects of indinavir on the GLUT4 transport system, that have been suggested from data in other cell systems, are unlikely in HepG2 cells that express no or almost no GLUT4 transport system. Finally, our data do not support the hypothesis that indinavir alters insulin signaling by influencing protein tyrosine phosphatase activity directed against insulin receptor substrate-1.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

No in vitro effects of fatty acids on glucose uptake, lipolysis or insulin signaling in rat adipocytes.

Elevated plasma levels of free fatty acids (FFA) can produce insulin resistance in skeletal muscle tissue and liver and, together with alterations in beta-cell function, this has been referred to as lipotoxicity. This study explores the effects of FFAs on insulin action in rat adipocytes. Cells were incubated 4 or 24 h with or without an unsaturated FFA, oleate or a saturated FFA, palmitate (0.6 and 1.5 mM, respectively). After the culture period, cells were washed and insulin effects on glucose uptake and lipolysis as well as cellular content of insulin signaling proteins (IRS-1, PI3-kinase, PKB and phosphorylated PKB) and the insulin regulated glucose transporter GLUT4 were measured. No significant differences were found in basal or insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in FFA-treated cells compared to control cells, regardless of fatty acid concentration or incubation period. Moreover, there were no significant alterations in the expression of IRS-1, PI3-kinase, PKB and GLUT4 following FFA exposure. Insulin's ability to stimulate PKB phosphorylation was also left intact. Nor did we find any alterations following FFA exposure in basal or cAMP-stimulated lipolysis or in the ability of insulin to inhibit lipolysis. The results indicate that oleate or palmitate does not directly influence insulin action to stimulate glucose uptake and inhibit lipolysis in rat fat cells. Thus, lipotoxicity does not seem to occur in the fat tissue itself.

Adipocytes↗

YM268 increases the glucose uptake, cell differentiation, and mRNA expression of glucose transporter in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of bis[4-[2,4-dioxo-5-thiazolidinyl)methyl]phenyl]methane (YM-268), a thiazolidinedione derivative, on glucose uptake, adipocyte differentiation through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(PPARgamma), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) activity in cultured cells. YM268 and pioglitazone dose-dependently increased the 2-deoxyglucose uptake in 3T3-L1 cells. YM268 facilitated the insulin-stimulated triglyceride accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and increased the mRNA expression of fatty acid-binding protein. YM268, with and without insulin, increased the mRNA expression of glucose transporter isoforms such as GLUT1 and GLUT4, indicating enhancement of adipocyte differentiation. Additionally, YM268 and pioglitazone showed activity of the PPARgamma ligand, a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily responsible for adipogenesis. To examine the possible involvement of the increased activity of PI 3-kinase in YM268-stimulated glucose uptake, the enzyme activity was estimated by measuring the phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PI-3,4,5-P3) concentration in human monocytic cells. Insulin dose-dependently increased the PI-3,4,5-P3 production but YM268 had no significant effect on the insulin-dependent and -independent PI 3-kinase activation. These results indicate that the mechanism by which YM268 increased glucose uptake, may be accounted for in part by the enhancement of GLUT1 and GLUT4 expression through PPARgamma activation.

3T3 Cells↗

Insulin regulation of vascular smooth muscle glucose transport in insulin-sensitive and resistant rats.

Previous studies from this laboratory demonstrate insulin regulation of vascular smooth muscle intracellular calcium transport and of vascular tone. Accordingly, we measured insulin regulated glucose transport and GLUT4 protein in aortic tissue from insulin-resistant and sensitive rats in order to document classical insulin action in this tissue. We assessed (via in vitro muscle-bath and perfusion) basal and insulin-stimulated [3H]-2-deoxyglucose transport in aorta from lean and obese Zucker rats. In the muscle-bath system, insulin significantly stimulated aortic 2-deoxyglucose transport by 30%, but there was no difference in either baseline or insulin-stimulated glucose transport in lean versus obese rats. However, in the perfusion system, in which only the luminal surface of the vessel was exposed, insulin significantly (p < 0.04) stimulated 2-deoxyglucose transport in the aorta of only the lean animals. Western blot analysis demonstrated that aorta from lean and obese Zucker rats contained substantial concentrations of GLUT4 protein. Surprisingly, in the muscle-bath system 2-deoxyglucose transport was markedly higher in the aorta than in the soleus (p < 0.0002). These data demonstrate that vascular smooth muscle is an insulin-sensitive tissue which may be partially impaired in insulin resistant animals.

Animals↗

Characterization of the molecular mode of action of the sulfonylurea, glimepiride, at adipocytes.

The possibility of an insulin-independent blood glucose decreasing activity of sulfonylureas was re-evaluated. Single dose studies in dogs with different sulfonylureas revealed a ranking in the ratio of plasma insulin release/blood glucose decrease with glimepiride exhibiting the lowest and glibenclamide the highest ratio. This ranking suggests that sulfonylureas have extrapancreatic activity and that this is most pronounced for glimepiride. Further evidence for this was derived from single dose studies in rabbits, euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp studies in rats and subchronic studies in manifestly diabetic KK-AY mice. Extrapancreatic activity of sulfonylureas as deduced from the ranking in vivo between glimepiride and glibenclamide directly on peripheral tissues would imply a similar ranking between the two drugs in glucose utilizing processes in isolated muscle and fat cells. Indeed, glimepiride exhibits a higher potency compared to glibenclamide with respect to stimulation of glucose transport, glucose transporter isoform 4 (GLUT4) translocation and lipid and glycogen synthesis in normal and insulin-resistant adipocytes and in muscle cells, as well as of the potential underlying signalling processes examined at the molecular level. The molecular basis for the sulfonylurea-induced increase of glucose transport and non-oxidative glucose metabolism may rely on the dephosphorylation of key metabolic proteins/enzymes, like GLUT4 as demonstrated in isolated rat adipocytes. Activation of certain serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatases by insulin has been postulated to be mediated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and phosphatidylinositol (P1)-3'-kinase. However, there was no evidence that these pathways are involved in the regulation of protein phosphatase activity by sulfonylureas. Binding and photoaffinity studies showed that glimepiride associates in a time- and concentration dependent non-saturable manner with detergent-insoluble complexes of the plasma membrane which may correspond to caveolae. This association seems to be based on the interaction of glimepiride with glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) lipids and membrane protein anchors. These were found to be enriched in detergent-insoluble complexes together with a GPI-specific phospholipase (PLC), the caveolae-specific coast protein, caveolin, and acylated tyrosine kinases of the src family. Sulfonylureas were found to stimulate the GPI-PLC and tyrosine phosphorylation of caveolin. This is presumably caused by direct interaction of the sulfonylurea into caveolar glycolipids and stimulation of a caveolar src tyrosine kinase, respectively. In accordance with the higher potency of glimepiride in vivo and in glucose transport/metabolism in vitro, the EC50 values for GPI-PLC activation and caveolin phosphorylation were lower for glimepiride than those for glibenclamide. The stimulation of protein tyrosine phosphorylation by sulfonylureas via this pathway not involving the insulin signaling cascade may be coupled to activation of specific protein phosphatases regulating glucose transport and metabolism. The concentrations required in vitro were higher than the reported therapeutic plasma concentrations. However, provided that the observed time-dependent accumulation of glimepiride in caveolae of peripheral cells were of functional relevance for stimulation of glucose transport/metabolism and would also occur in vivo, due to the longer exposure times even at lower drug concentrations the insulin-independent blood glucose decreasing activity of sulfonylureas might become effective in vivo.

Adipocytes↗

The voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.3 regulates peripheral insulin sensitivity.

Kv1.3 is a voltage-gated potassium (K) channel expressed in a number of tissues, including fat and skeletal muscle. Channel inhibition improves experimental autoimmune encephalitis, in part by reducing IL-2 and tumor necrosis factor production by peripheral T lymphocytes. Gene inactivation causes mice (Kv1.3-/-) exposed to a high-fat diet to gain less weight and be less obese than littermate control. Interestingly, although Kv1.3-/- mice on the high-calorie diet gain weight, they remain euglycemic, with low blood insulin levels. This observation prompted us to examine the effect of Kv1.3 gene inactivation and inhibition on peripheral glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. Here we show that Kv1.3 gene deletion and channel inhibition increase peripheral insulin sensitivity in vivo. Baseline and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake are increased in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of Kv1.3-/- mice. Inhibition of Kv1.3 activity facilitates the translocation of the glucose transporter, GLUT4, to the plasma membrane. It also suppresses c-JUN terminal kinase activity in fat and skeletal muscle and decreases IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor secretion by adipose tissue. We conclude that Kv1.3 inhibition improves insulin sensitivity by increasing the amount of GLUT4 at the plasma membrane. These results pinpoint a pathway through which K channels regulate peripheral glucose homeostasis, and identify Kv1.3 as a pharmacologic target for the treatment of diabetes.

Adipose Tissue↗

Insulin-like growth factor 1 regulates developing brain glucose metabolism.

The brain has enormous anabolic needs during early postnatal development. This study presents multiple lines of evidence showing that endogenous brain insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf1) serves an essential, insulin-like role in promoting neuronal glucose utilization and growth during this period. Brain 2-deoxy-d- [1-(14)C]glucose uptake parallels Igf1 expression in wild-type mice and is profoundly reduced in Igf1-/- mice, particularly in those structures where Igf1 is normally most highly expressed. 2-Deoxy-d- [1-(14)C]glucose is significantly reduced in synaptosomes prepared from Igf1-/- brains, and the deficit is corrected by inclusion of Igf1 in the incubation medium. The serine/threonine kinase Akt/PKB is a major target of insulin-signaling in the regulation of glucose transport via the facilitative glucose transporter (GLUT4) and glycogen synthesis in peripheral tissues. Phosphorylation of Akt and GLUT4 expression are reduced in Igf1-/- neurons. Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3beta and glycogen accumulation also are reduced in Igf1-/- neurons. These data support the hypothesis that endogenous brain Igf1 serves an anabolic, insulin-like role in developing brain metabolism.

Animals↗

Cell-free transcription directed by the 422 adipose P2 gene promoter: activation by the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein.

Previous investigations have shown that CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) can function as a trans-activator of the promoters of several adipocyte-specific genes--i.e., the 422 adipose P2 (422/aP2), stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) genes, in 3T3-L1 mouse preadipocytes. We now describe a cell-free system prepared from nuclei of 3T3-L1 cells that carries out transcription directed by these promoters. To measure transcript formation, we employed a polymerase chain reaction-assisted analysis. Nuclear extract from 3T3-L1 adipocytes that express C/EBP supports a higher rate of transcription of chimeric 422(aP2) promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene constructs than nuclear extract from preadipocytes that lack C/EBP. A competitor oligonucleotide containing the C/EBP binding site sequence and antibodies raised against C/EBP inhibit transcription directed by the 422(aP2) promoter. The factor limiting transcription by nuclear extract from preadipocytes appears to be C/EBP, since recombinant C/EBP (rC/EBP) markedly activates transcription of the 422(aP2) promoter-CAT gene with preadipocyte extract but not with adipocyte extract. rC/EBP also activates cell-free transcription of SCD1 promoter-CAT and GLUT4 promoter-CAT chimeric genes. Point mutations within the C/EBP binding site in the 422(aP2) promoter markedly decrease transcription activated by rC/EBP. Consistent with activation by cAMP of the 422(aP2) promoter in intact preadipocytes, cAMP-dependent protein kinase activates transcription through this promoter with the cell-free system, this effect being independent of C/EBP. Thus, regulation of transcription directed by the 422(aP2) promoter in the cell-free system resembles that which occurs in intact 3T3-L1 cells.

Adipose Tissue↗

Development of an in vitro reconstitution assay for glucose transporter 4 translocation.

In an attempt to define the mechanism of insulin-regulated glucose transporter 4 (Glut4) translocation, we have developed an in vitro reconstitution assay. Donor membranes from 3T3-L1 adipocytes transfected with mycGlut4 were incubated with plasma membrane (PM) from nontransfected 3T3-L1 cells, and the association was assessed by using two types of centrifugation assays. Association of mycGlut4 vesicles derived from donor membranes with the PM was concentration-, temperature-, time-, and Ca(2+)-dependent but ATP-independent. Addition of a syntaxin 4 fusion protein produced a biphasic response, increasing association at low concentration and inhibiting association at higher concentrations. PM from insulin-stimulated cells showed an enhanced association as compared with those from untreated cells. Use of donor membranes from insulin-stimulated cells further enhanced the association and also enhanced association to the PM from isolated rat adipocytes. Addition of cytosol, GTP, or guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate decreased the association. In summary, insulin-induced Glut4 translocation can be reconstituted in vitro to a limited extent by using isolated membranes. This association appears to involve protein-protein interactions among the SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) complex proteins. Finally, the ability of insulin to enhance association depends on insulin-induced changes in the PM and, to a lesser extent, in the donor membranes.

3T3 Cells↗

Exercise-induced changes in expression and activity of proteins involved in insulin signal transduction in skeletal muscle: differential effects on insulin-receptor substrates 1 and 2.

Level of physical activity is linked to improved glucose homeostasis. We determined whether exercise alters the expression and/or activity of proteins involved in insulin-signal transduction in skeletal muscle. Wistar rats swam 6 h per day for 1 or 5 days. Epitrochlearis muscles were excised 16 h after the last exercise bout, and were incubated with or without insulin (120 nM). Insulin-stimulated glucose transport increased 30% and 50% after 1 and 5 days of exercise, respectively. Glycogen content increased 2- and 4-fold after 1 and 5 days of exercise, with no change in glycogen synthase expression. Protein expression of the glucose transporter GLUT4 and the insulin receptor increased 2-fold after 1 day, with no further change after 5 days of exercise. Insulin-stimulated receptor tyrosine phosphorylation increased 2-fold after 5 days of exercise. Insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin-receptor substrate (IRS) 1 and associated phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase activity increased 2.5- and 3. 5-fold after 1 and 5 days of exercise, despite reduced (50%) IRS-1 protein content after 5 days of exercise. After 1 day of exercise, IRS-2 protein expression increased 2.6-fold and basal and insulin-stimulated IRS-2 associated PI 3-kinase activity increased 2. 8-fold and 9-fold, respectively. In contrast to IRS-1, IRS-2 expression and associated PI 3-kinase activity normalized to sedentary levels after 5 days of exercise. Insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation increased 5-fold after 5 days of exercise. In conclusion, increased insulin-stimulated glucose transport after exercise is not limited to increased GLUT4 expression. Exercise leads to increased expression and function of several proteins involved in insulin-signal transduction. Furthermore, the differential response of IRS-1 and IRS-2 to exercise suggests that these molecules have specialized, rather than redundant, roles in insulin signaling in skeletal muscle.

Animals↗

GLUT8 is a glucose transporter responsible for insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in the blastocyst.

Mammalian preimplantation blastocysts exhibit insulin-stimulated glucose uptake despite the absence of the only known insulin-regulated transporter, GLUT4. We describe a previously unidentified member of the mammalian facilitative GLUT superfamily that exhibits approximately 20-25% identity with other murine facilitative GLUTs. Insulin induces a change in the intracellular localization of this protein, which translates into increased glucose uptake into the blastocyst, a process that is inhibited by antisense oligoprobes. Presence of this transporter may be necessary for successful blastocyst development, fuel metabolism, and subsequent implantation. Moreover, the existence of an alternative transporter may explain examples in other tissues of insulin-regulated glucose transport in the absence of GLUT4.

Amino Acid Sequence↗