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B Draznin

Publications and source records attributed to B Draznin.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Insulin signaling.

The following article is another in a series of papers presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Association of Physicians. The WAP meets in Carmel, usually in the first week of February, along with sister organization the Western Society for Clinical Investigation and the Western Federation for Clinical Research. These meetings are designed to offer members and guest physicians broad updates in multiple specialties of medicine and basic science. This eclectic approach provides broad cross-fertilization of ideas, often leading to scientific collaboration. Readers of The Western Journal of Medicine are encouraged to register and attend the meetings. The scheduled program for future meetings will be published in the December issue of the journal.

Blood Glucose↗

Insulin stimulates mitogen-activated protein kinase by a Ras-independent pathway in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

To characterize tissue-specific differences in insulin signaling, we compared the mechanisms of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation by insulin in the mitogenically active 3T3-L1 fibroblasts with the metabolically active 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In both cell lines, insulin significantly increased p21(ras).GTP loading (1.5-2-fold) and MAP kinase activity (5-8-fold). Inhibition of Ras farnesylation with lovastatin blocked activation of p21(ras) and Raf-1 kinase in both 3T3-L1 fibroblasts and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, this was accompanied by an inhibition of the stimulatory effect of insulin on MAP kinase. In contrast, in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, despite an inhibition of activation of p21(ras) and Raf-1 by lovastatin, insulin continued to stimulate MAP kinase activity. Fractionation of the cell lysates on the FPLC Mono-Q column revealed that lovastatin inhibited insulin stimulation of ERK2 (and, to a lesser extent, ERK1) in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts and had no effect on the insulin-stimulated ERK2 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These results demonstrate an important distinction between the mechanism of insulin signaling in the metabolically and mitogenically active cells. Insulin activates MAP kinase by the Ras-dependent pathway in the 3T3-L1 fibroblasts and by the Ras-independent pathway in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Adipocytes↗

Effect of insulin on farnesyltransferase activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Activation of p21(ras) by GTP loading is a critical step in a cascade of intracellular insulin signaling. Farnesylation of p21(ras) protein is an obligatory event that facilitates Ras migration to the plasma membrane and subsequent activation. Farnesyltransferase (FTase) is a ubiquitous enzyme that catalyzes the lipid modification of p21(ras) by the addition of farnesyl to the C-terminal "CAAX" motif. In vitro and in vivo FTase activities were studied in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in response to insulin challenge. Insulin exerted a biphasic stimulatory effect on FTase activity measured in vitro with a 31% increase at 5 min and a 130% increase at 60 min. Insulin-stimulated farnesylation of p21(ras) pools in vivo correlated with FTase activity seen in vitro by displaying an increase in farnesylated p21(ras) from 40% of total cellular Ras in control cells to 63% by 5 min and 80% by 60 min (p < 0.05) in insulin-treated cells. Insulin challenge of 3T3-L1 adipocytes increased incorporation of tritiated mevalonic acid in p21(ras) in a dose-dependent manner and stimulated a 2-fold increase in phosphorylation of the alpha-subunit of FTase at 5 min and a 4-fold increase at 60 min.

3T3 Cells↗

Interactions of protein kinase C with insulin signaling. Influence on GAP and Sos activities.

In this study, we investigated the influence of the protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent system upon the ability of insulin to stimulate p21(ras).GTP loading in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Activation of PKC by 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) did not affect the basal amount of p21(ras).GTP but significantly reduced insulin-induced increases in p21(ras).GTP. This reduction was due to inhibition of the insulin's ability to stimulate guanine nucleotide exchange activity of Sos in cells incubated with 100 nM TPA for either 30 min or 3 h. TPA had no effect on basal activity of Sos. Depletion of PKC by an 18-h incubation with TPA or inhibition by bisindolylmaleimide resulted in profound inhibition of the insulin-induced p21(ras).GTP loading. In contrast to PKC activation, removal of PKC did not influence Sos activity but resulted in a 2-fold stimulation of GTPase activating protein (GAP). This effect of PKC depletion is unique to 3T3-L1 adipocytes and was not observed in either 3T3-L1 fibroblasts or Rat-1 fibroblasts. Thus, it appears that in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, PKC has a constitutive inhibitory effect on GAP that permits insulin to activate Sos and p21(ras). Removal of this inhibitory influence activates GAP and reduces insulin-stimulated p21(ras).GTP loading.

3T3 Cells↗

Involvement of ErbB2 in the signaling pathway leading to cell cycle progression from a truncated epidermal growth factor receptor lacking the C-terminal autophosphorylation sites.

To investigate the mechanisms underlying the enhanced mitogenic activity of the truncated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) lacking the C-terminal autophosphorylation sites (Delta973-EGFR), we studied the intracellular signaling pathways in NR6 cells expressing human wild type EGFR and Delta973-EGFR. Microinjection of dominant/negative p21ras(N17) completely inhibited EGF-induced DNA synthesis in both cell types. EGF stimulated Shc phosphorylation as well as the formation of wild type EGFR.Shc complexes. In contrast, EGF stimulated Shc phosphorylation without formation of Delta973-EGFR.Shc complexes. Tyrosine-phosphorylated Shc formed complexes with Grb2.Sos, and microinjection of anti-Shc antibody and Shc-SH2 GST fusion protein inhibited EGF stimulation of DNA synthesis in both cell lines. EGF markedly increased ErbB2 tyrosine phosphorylation in wild type EGFR cells. In Delta973-EGFR cells, ErbB2 was tyrosine phosphorylated in the basal state and EGFR stimulated further phosphorylation of ErbB2. In addition to ErbB2, additional proteins were tyrosine phosphorylated in Delta973-EGFR cells, mostly in the molecular mass range of 120 170 kDa. Taken together with our findings indicating coupling of ErbB2 to Shc, these data suggest the importance of an alternative signaling pathway in Delta973-EGFR cells mediated by the formation of heterodimeric structures between the truncated EGFR and ErbB2, followed by coupling through Shc to Grb2.Sos and the p21ras pathway, ultimately leading to mitogenesis.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Functional interactions of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase with GTPase-activating protein in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

The role of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase in specific aspects of insulin signaling was explored in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Inhibition of PI 3-kinase activity by LY294002 or wortmannin significantly enhanced basal and insulin-stimulated GTPase-activating protein (GAP) activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, removal of the inhibitory influence of PI 3-kinase on GAP resulted in dose-dependent decreases in the ability of insulin to stimulate p21ras. This effect was specific to adipocytes, as inhibition of PI 3-kinase did not influence GAP in either 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, Rat-1 fibroblasts, or CHO cells. Immunodepletion of either of the two subunits of the PI 3-kinase (p85 or p110) yielded similar activation of GAP, suggesting that catalytic activity of p110 plays an important role in controlling GAP activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Inhibition of PI 3-kinase activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes resulted in abrogation of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and thymidine incorporation. In contrast, effects of insulin on glycogen synthase and mitogen-activated protein kinase activity were inhibited only at higher concentrations of LY294002. It appears that in adipocytes, P1 3-kinase prevents activation of GAP. Inhibition of PI 3-kinase activity or immunodepletion of either one of its subunits results in activation of GAP and decreases in GTP loading of p21ras.

3T3 Cells↗

Reduced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase in response to insulin in cells with truncated C-terminal domain of insulin receptor.

Insulin-stimulated activity of Raf-1 kinase was examined in Rat-1 fibroblasts transfected with wild-type and mutant human insulin receptors. Insulin stimulated Raf-1 binding to p21Ras in HIRc (wild-type), delta CT (insulin receptor lacking a 43-amino acid C-terminal domain), and Y/F2 (tyrosine 1316 and 1322 replaced by phenylalanine) cells. Despite equal binding to p21Ras, the activity of Raf-1 kinase (measured by phosphorylation of its downstream substrate, mitogen-activated protein/extracellular receptor kinase (MEK) was significantly reduced in the delta CT cells. As an association of Raf-1 with p21Ras does not activate Raf-1 kinase, but merely targets Raf-1 to the plasma membrane, we examined the binding of Raf-1 to 14-3-3 proteins and to the insulin receptor itself. Raf-1 was detected in both 14-3-3 and insulin receptor immunoprecipitates. Association of Raf-1 with either 14-3-3 protein or insulin receptor was not influenced by insulin and was similar in all control and insulin-treated cell lines. These results indicate that the delta CT cells are deficient in stimulating Raf-1 activity despite normal binding of Raf-1 to p21Ras. Thus, an unidentified mechanism of Raf-1 activation at the plasma membrane must be impaired in these cells.

3T3 Cells↗

Signal transduction pathways leading to insulin-induced early gene induction.

We examined the signal transduction pathway leading to insulin stimulation of two immediate early genes, c-fos, and the early growth response gene, Egr-1. In Rat 1 fibroblasts overexpressing normal human insulin receptors (HIRc-B), insulin and IGF-I rapidly and transiently induced the expression of both c-fos and Egr-1 mRNA with maximum accumulation at 30 min, declining to basal levels at 120 min. Insulin (100 ng/mL) increased c-fos and Egr-1 mRNA expression 10-fold (EC50 = 20 ng/mL), whereas IGF-I (100 ng/mL) and serum (20%) led to a 3- and 11.5-fold increase, respectively. Insulin-stimulated c-fos protein expression was maximal at 1 h postinduction and undetectable at 4 h. The effects of insulin and IGF-I on both c-fos mRNA and protein expression were absent in Rat 1 fibroblasts expressing tyrosine kinase-defective human insulin receptors (A/K1018). In cells expressing insulin receptors in which the two C-terminal tyrosines are mutated to phenylalanine (Y/F2 cells), the insulin stimulated increase in Egr-1 and c-fos mRNA was comparable to that of HIRc cells, whereas, in cells expressing C-terminal truncated receptors (delta CT cells), the insulin induced increase in Egr-1 mRNA was normal, but the c-fos mRNA response was severely blunted. As expected, the insulin effect to increase ras GTP formation and MAP kinase activity was negligible in A/K1018 cells but normal, or supernormal, in Y/F2 cells. Importantly, stimulation of ras GTP was increased in delta CT cells, whereas stimulation of MAP kinase activity was almost absent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Differential requirement for p21ras activation in the metabolic signaling by insulin.

To evaluate the role of the "Ras pathway" in mediating metabolic signaling by insulin, we employed lovastatin to exhibit isoprenilation of Ras proteins in Rat-1 fibroblasts transfected with human insulin receptors (HIRc cells) and in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Lovastatin blocked an ability of insulin to activate p21ras and mitogen-activated protein kinase. Lovastatin also significantly (p < 0.01) reduced insulin effects on thymidine incorporation and glucose incorporation into glycogen. Nevertheless, an effect of insulin on glucose uptake remained unaffected. It appears that in contrast to its mitogenic action and to its effect on glycogenesis, an effect of insulin on glucose uptake does not require p21ras activation.

Animals↗

Insulin inhibits nuclear phosphatase activity: requirement for the C-terminal domain of the insulin receptor.

Insulin's interaction with its receptor initiates a multitude of cellular effects on metabolism, growth, and differentiation. We recently described an insulin-mediated inhibition of nuclear protein phosphatase 2A (PP-2A), which is associated with an increase in phosphorylation of the transcription factor cAMP response element-binding protein. To clarify the role of nuclear PP-2A inhibition in the insulin signaling cascade, we examined the regulation of this phosphatase activity by insulin in Rat-1 fibroblasts overexpressing normal (HIRc) or mutant human insulin receptors (delta CT cells, deletion of a 43-amino acid C-terminal domain). The delta CT cells represent an excellent model of impaired metabolic and intact mitogenic action of insulin. Insulin inhibited nuclear PP-2A activity and enhanced cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation in HIRc cells, but not in delta CT cells. The delta CT cells exhibited normal ras activation and blunted mitogen-activating protein kinase phosphorylation and activation in response to insulin (16-fold in HIRc cells vs. 3-fold in delta CT cells), indicating that the mitogen-activating protein kinase pathway is important for the regulation of nuclear PP-2A activity by insulin. We conclude that insulin inhibits nuclear PP-2A activity, and that the carboxy-terminal domain of the insulin receptor is important for this effect.

Activating Transcription Factor 1↗

The signaling pathway coupling epidermal growth factor receptors to activation of p21ras.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment causes autophosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) leading to increased guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF; Sos) activity and enhanced formation of p21ras-GTP. The connection of the EGFR to p21ras activation can occur through binding of Grb2.Sos complexes to the EGFR or through the adaptor protein Shc via EGFR.Shc.Grb2.Sos multimeric complexes. Therefore, we investigated the importance of Shc in coupling the EGFR to activation of ras GEF (Sos). EGF treatment led to rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc. Although phosphorylated EGFR can bind to both Shc and Grb2, the predominant linkage was observed between EGFR and Shc. Similarly, more Grb2 was associated with Shc than with EGFR after EGF stimulation. Immunoprecipitation of Shc from EGF-stimulated cells removed almost all EGFR-associated Grb2. Furthermore, immunodepletion of Shc proteins from membrane fractions of EGF-stimulated cells removed 93% of the ras GEF activity, whereas, precipitation of EGFR had only a small effect on ras GEF activity. These data indicate that coupling to Shc provides the major pathway linking activated EGFRs to Grb2.Sos and stimulation of the p21ras pathway.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Evidence for a functional role of Shc proteins in mitogenic signaling induced by insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, and epidermal growth factor.

Shc proteins contain a single SH2 domain, lack catalytic activity, and are substrates for activated receptors for insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and epidermal growth factor (EGF). Treatment with these growth factors induced rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc. We investigated the potential role of Shc in mitogenic signaling. Affinity-purified antibodies were microinjected into living Rat1 fibroblasts overexpressing human insulin receptors. Bromodeoxyuridine incorporation into newly synthesized DNA was subsequently studied to assess the importance of Shc. Cellular microinjection of anti-Shc antibody inhibited BrdU incorporation induced by insulin, IGF-1, and EGF, but did not affect cells stimulated by fetal calf serum. Microinjection of an oncogenic p21ras protein (T24) into quiescent cells produced constitutively active mitogenic signaling, and comicroinjection of T24 with the anti-Shc antibody restored insulin and EGF stimulation of DNA synthesis. Immunoprecipitates of Shc from lysates of insulin-stimulated cells removed 70-80% of guanine nucleotide-releasing factor activity. These results indicate that Shc is an important component in a mitogenic signal transduction pathway that is shared by insulin, IGF-1, and EGF. The functional locus of Shc is either upstream of p21ras or lies on a distinct branch of the pathway leading to cell cycle progression.

Animals↗

Shc is the predominant signaling molecule coupling insulin receptors to activation of guanine nucleotide releasing factor and p21ras-GTP formation.

Insulin stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and She in Rat1 fibroblasts overexpressing wild type insulin receptors. We investigated the relative role of IRS-1 and She in insulin activation of guanine nucleotide releasing factor (GNRF) and p21ras-GTP formation. The time course of insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 was rapid, whereas Shc phosphorylation was relatively slow. Growth factor receptor bound protein-2 (Grb2) associated with IRS-1 rapidly and gradually dissociated after 5 min, whereas Grb2 association with Shc was slower and reached a maximum at 10 min after insulin stimulation. Thus, the kinetics of Grb2 association with IRS-1 and She corresponded closely to the time course of tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and Shc, respectively. Importantly, 3-13-fold more Grb2 was associated with Shc than with IRS-1. In addition, the kinetics of insulin-stimulated GNRF activity and p21ras-GTP formation corresponded more closely to the time course of Shc phosphorylation than to the kinetics of IRS-1 phosphorylation. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation of Shc proteins from cell lysates of insulin-stimulated cells removed 67% of the GNRF activity, whereas precipitation of IRS-1 had a negligible effect on GNRF activity. Thus, although both IRS-1 and Shc associate with Grb2, the current results indicate that Shc plays a more important role than IRS-1 in insulin stimulation of GNRF activity and subsequent p21ras-GTP formation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I signal transduction requires p21ras.

We have investigated the role of cellular p21ras protein in insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) signaling pathways. Insulin stimulation increased Ras-GTP formation in Rat-1 fibroblasts overexpressing normal human insulin receptors (HIRc-B), far greater than in parental Rat-1 fibroblasts, indicating that competent insulin receptors mediate this response. Cellular microinjection of a dominant-negative mutant p21ras protein (N17 ras) or anti-p21ras monoclonal antibody (Y13-259) into HIRc-B cells reduced insulin- and IGF-I-stimulated DNA synthesis by 75-90%. Insulin-induced c-fos protein expression was also inhibited by 74%. Microinjection of oncogenic p21ras (T-24 ras) into HIRc-B cells activated the mitogenic pathway, and coinjection of N17 ras and T-24 ras showed that oncogenic p21ras rescued the cells from the N17 ras blockade. This later finding indicates that T-24 ras acts downstream of N17 ras. In conclusion, 1) microinjection of a dominant interferring ras mutant into quiescent cells abrogated subsequent insulin and IGF-I mitogenic signaling; 2) oncogenic ras protein rescued cells from the N17 ras blockade, indicating that T24 ras action is downstream of the site of N17 inhibition; and 3) p21ras is an intermediate signaling molecule in the insulin/IGF-I signal transduction pathway and is required for gene expression and DNA synthesis.

Animals↗

Insulin and epidermal growth factor influence guanine nucleotide-releasing factor by distinct mechanisms.

Both insulin and epidermal growth factor (EGF) significantly increased the activation of p21Ras in Rat-1 fibroblasts transfected with human insulin receptors. As both growth factors have been shown to stimulate guanine nucleotide exchange on p21Ras in permeabilized cells, we examined their effects on total cellular guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity in a direct assay, using the rate of dissociation of [3H]GDP from p21Ras as a measure of GEF activity. Insulin increased GEF activity in a time-dependent manner, whereas EGF had no effect on GEF activity at any time point studied. To assess whether EGF stimulates guanine nucleotide exchange by recruiting Grb-2-Sos complexes to the plasma membrane, we measured GEF activity in both the cytosol and the plasma membrane fractions of the insulin- and EGF-treated cells. Insulin increased GEF activity in both fractions (48 +/- 12% [3H]GDP released vs. 24 +/- 6% in control plasma membranes, and 65 +/- 13% vs. 13 +/- 4% in control cytosolic fractions), whereas EGF enhanced only the plasma membrane-associated activity (43 +/- 12% of [3H]GDP release in the plasma membrane fraction and 10 +/- 2% in the cytosol). Western blotting of the subcellular fractions with Grb-2 and Sos antibodies revealed translocation of these elements to the plasma membrane after stimulation of cells with either insulin or EGF. Thus, whereas insulin stimulates guanine nucleotide exchange on Ras by both translocating Grb-2-Sos complexes to the plasma membrane and increasing the GEF activity of Sos, EGF does so by causing a translocation of Grb-2-Sos without increasing GEF activity.

Animals↗

Insulin inhibits dephosphorylation of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate response element-binding protein/activating transcription factor-1: effect on nuclear phosphoserine phosphatase-2a.

We examined the effects of insulin on the phosphorylation state of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in normal rat adipocytes. Insulin increased in vivo phosphorylation of CREB by 40%. Although both phosphoprotein phosphatase-1 and -2A dephosphorylate CREB and activating transcription factor-1, insulin action appears to be mediated via its strong inhibitory effect on nuclear phosphatase-2A (PP-2A) activity. Using in vitro protein kinase-A-phosphorylated activating transcription factor-1 as a substrate, we found that insulin inhibited nuclear PP-2A activity by 80% (P < 0.001), which represents approximately 50% of the total nuclear phosphatase activity. Greater than 50% of the effect of insulin was observed at 0.3 nM and 2 min of exposure. These findings are the first indicator that a signal initiated by a cell surface tyrosine kinase receptor may regulate nuclear PP-2A activity and thereby affect the phosphorylation state of transcription factors.

Activating Transcription Factor 1↗