Biomedical subjects

L Berti

Publications and source records attributed to L Berti.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Purification, product characterization and kinetic properties of lipoxygenase from olive fruit (Olea europaea L.).

Lipoxygenase from olive fruit was purified to homogeneity for the first time after differential centrifugations and by hydrophobic chromatography. The enzyme had a molecular mass of 98 kDa and exhibited a maximal activity at pH 6. Lipoxygenase had a better affinity for linoleic acid (Km=82.44 microM) than for linolenic acid (Km = 306.26 microM). It is inhibited by linoleate:oxygen oxidoreductase (LOX) inhibitors like nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) or propyl gallate. The reaction product was 13-hydroperoxy octadecadienoic acid when linoleic acid was used as substrate.

Cell Fractionation↗

PubMed2006

Rear-foot, mid-foot and fore-foot motion during the stance phase of gait.

This paper proposes a new protocol designed to track a large number of foot segments during the stance phase of gait with the smallest possible number of markers, with particular clinical focus on coronal plane alignment of the rear-foot, transverse and sagittal plane alignment of the metatarsal bones, and changes at the medial longitudinal arch. The shank, calcaneus, mid-foot and metatarsus were assumed to be 3D rigid bodies. The longitudinal axis of the first, second and fifth metatarsal bones and the proximal phalanx of the hallux were also tracked independently. Skin markers were mounted on bony prominences or joint lines, avoiding the course of main tendons. Trajectories of the 14 markers were collected by an eight-camera motion capture system at 100 Hz on a population of 10 young volunteers. Three-dimensional joint rotations and planar angles were calculated according to anatomically based reference frames. The marker set was well visible throughout the stance phase of gait, even in a camera configuration typical of gait analysis of the full body. The time-histories of the joint rotations and planar angles were well repeatable among subjects and consistent with clinical and biomechanical knowledge. Several dynamic measurements were originally taken, such as elevation/drop of the medial longitudinal arch and of three metatarsal bones, rear-foot to fore-foot rotation and transverse plane deformation of the metatarsus. The information obtained from this protocol, consistent with previous clinical knowledge, enhanced our understanding of the dynamics of the human foot during stance.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Discrimination between closed and open forms of lipases using electrophoretic techniques.

The enhanced catalytic activity of lipases is often associated with structural changes. The three-dimensional (3D) structures showed that the covalently inhibited lipases exist under their open conformations, in contrast to their native closed forms. We studied the inhibition of various lipases--human and dog gastric lipases, human pancreatic lipase, and Humicola lanuginosa lipase--by the octyl-undecyl phosphonate inhibitor, and we measured the subsequent modifications of their respective electrophoretic mobility. Furthermore, the experimental values of the isoelectric points found for the native (closed) and inhibited (open) lipases are in agreement with theoretical calculations based on the electrostatic potential. We concluded that there is a significant difference in the isoelectric points between the closed (native) and open (inhibited) conformations of the four lipases investigated. Thus, analysis of the electrophoretic pattern is proposed as an easy experimental tool to differentiate between a closed and an open form of a given lipase.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

C2 and C0 values for monitoring cyclosporine therapy in stable heart transplant recipients.

INTRODUCTION: We sought to evaluate the behavior of C2 values and their correlation with acute rejection episodes and cyclosporine (CyA) side effects in heart transplant patients whose immunosuppressive therapy, was monitored with C0 trough levels. METHODS: Sixty stable patients who had received heart transplants from 3 months to 60 months prior were randomly observed from September 2001 to June 2004. Four area under the concentration-time curves (AUC) were performed on each patient, a total of 240 AUC curves. RESULTS: Regarding the variability of CyA absorption, two groups of patients were distinguished: group A, "constant absorbers," namely, low variability (<15%) of CyA absorption; group B, "inconstant absorbers" patients with higher (>15%) variability of absorption. Group B patients showed more acute rejection episodes (41%) than group A (19%). CyA side effects were more serious in patients with higher variability of absorption: systemic hypertension, neurological disorders, hyperlipidemia, and gum hyperplasia; Group B patients who developed CyA side effects showed higher maximum and mean C2 levels (P < .05) than group A patients. No differences were found with regard to renal dysfunction between the two groups: all patients showed a mean increase of serum creatinine by at least 50% compared to the baseline value. CONCLUSION: Higher C2 levels were not sufficient to predict acute rejection compared to lower but constants, C2 levels. Patients with inconstant absorption were more often overexposed to CyA than underexposed, developing more side effects than patients with lower variability of absorption. Monitoring CyA therapy with C0 and C2 may prevent over- or underexposure to the drug.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2004

[Gait analysis after rotationplasty hip surgery for malignant tumor of the proximal femur].

Rotationplasty of the hip joint is a special surgical technique used for the treatment of malignant tumors of the proximal part of the femur. We report a clinical case and gait analysis results before and after rehabilitation training. Evaluation of joint motion, kinetic moments, and the electromyographic findings enabled us to document progressive adaptation of muscle and joint function to their new role in the motor pattern, demonstrating the exceptional strength of rotationplasty. Active control of two fulcrums in the lower limb, the pseudo hip proximally and the pseudo knee intermedially, makes this type of operation extremely advantageous compared to the alternative of hip disarticulation or hemipelvectomy. Total absence of pain together with the preservation of articular and cutaneous proprioception are important advantages. Rotationplasty is an attractive alternative for treatment of malignant tumors of the proximal part of the femur.

Child↗

PubMed2003

Importance of the lid and cap domains for the catalytic activity of gastric lipases.

Human gastric lipase (HGL) is an enzyme secreted by the stomach, which is stable and active despite the highly acidic environment. It has been clearly established that this enzyme is responsible for 30% of the fat digestion processes occurring in human. This globular protein belongs to the alpha/beta hydrolase fold family and its catalytic serine is deeply buried under a domain called the extrusion domain, which is composed of a 'cap' domain and a segment consisting of 58 residues, which can be defined as a lid. The exact roles played by the cap and the lid domains during the catalytic step have not yet been elucidated. We have recently solved the crystal structure of the open form of the dog gastric lipase in complex with a covalent inhibitor. The detergent molecule and the inhibitor were mimicking a triglyceride substrate that would interact with residues belonging to both the cap and the lid domains. In this study, we have investigated the role of the cap and the lid domains, using site-directed mutagenesis procedures. We have produced truncated mutants lacking the lid and the cap. After expressing these mutants and purifying them, their activity was found to have decreased drastically in comparison with the wild type HGL. The lid and the cap domains play an important role in the catalytic reaction mechanism. Based on these results and the structural data (open form of DGL), we have pointed out the cap and the lid residues involved in the binding with the lipidic substrate.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed2001

Isolation and characterization of a novel gene from the DiGeorge chromosomal region that encodes for a mediator subunit.

Hemizygous deletions on chromosome 22q11.2 result in developmental disorders referred to as DiGeorge syndrome (DGS)/velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS). We report the isolation of a novel gene, PCQAP (PC2 glutamine/Q-rich-associated protein), that maps to the DiGeorge typically deleted region and encodes a protein identified as a subunit of the large multiprotein complex PC2. PC2 belongs to the family of the human Mediator complexes, which exhibit coactivator function in RNA polymerase II transcription. Furthermore, we cloned the homologous mouse Pcqap cDNA. There is 83% amino acid identity between the human and the mouse predicted protein sequences, with 96% similarity at the amino- and carboxy-terminal ends. To assess the potential involvement of PCQAP in DGS/VCFS, its developmental expression pattern was analyzed. In situ hybridization of mouse embryos at different developmental stages revealed that Pcqap is ubiquitously expressed. However, higher expression was detected in the frontonasal region, pharyngeal arches, and limb buds. Moreover, analysis of subjects carrying a typical 22q11 deletion revealed that the human PCQAP gene was deleted in all patients. Many of the structures affected in DGS/VCFS evolve from Pcqap-expressing cells. Together with the observed haploinsufficiency of PCQAP in DGS/VCFS patients, this finding is consistent with a possible role for this novel Mediator subunit in the development of some of the structures affected in DGS/VCFS.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Energy transfer cassettes for facile labeling of sequencing and PCR primers.

Fluorescence energy transfer (ET) primers and terminators are the reagents of choice for multiplex DNA sequencing and analysis. We present here the design, synthesis and evaluation of a four-color set of ET cassettes, fluorescent labeling reagents that can be quantitatively coupled to a thiol-activated target through a disulfide exchange reaction. The ET cassette consists of a sugar-phosphate spacer with a FAM donor at the 3'-end, an acceptor linked to a modified T-base at the 5'-end of the spacer and a mixed disulfide for coupling to a thiol at the 5'-end. The acceptor dye emission intensities of ET labeled primers produced in this manner are comparable to commercial ET primers. The utility of our ET cassette-labeled primers is demonstrated by performing four-color capillary electrophoresis sequencing with the M13(-21)forward primer and by generating and analyzing a set of single-nucleotide-polymorphism-specific PCR amplicons.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

PubMed2001

High-performance genetic analysis using microfabricated capillary array electrophoresis microplates.

This review focuses on some recent advances in realizing microfabricated capillary array electrophoresis (microCAE). In particular, the development of a novel rotary scanning confocal fluorescence detector has facilitated the high-speed collection of sequencing and genotyping data from radially formatted microCAE devices. The concomitant development of a convenient energy-transfer cassette labeling chemistry allows sensitive multicolor labeling of any DNA genotyping or sequencing analyte. High-performance hereditary haemochromatosis and short tandem repeat genotyping assays are demonstrated on these devices along with rapid mitochondrial DNA sequence polymorphism analysis. Progress in supporting technology such as robotic fluid dispensing and batched data analysis is also presented. The ultimate goal is to develop a parallel analysis platform capable of integrated sample preparation and automated electrophoretic analysis with a throughput 10-100 times that of current technology.

Electrophoresis, Capillary↗

PubMed2001

High-performance multiplex SNP analysis of three hemochromatosis-related mutations with capillary array electrophoresis microplates.

An assay is described for high-throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping on a microfabricated capillary array electrophoresis (CAE) microchip. The assay targets the three common variants at the HFE locus associated with the genetic disease hereditary hemochromatosis (HHC). The assay employs allele-specific PCR (ASPCR) for the C282Y (845g->a), H63D (187c->g), and S65C (193a->t) variants using fluorescently-labeled energy-transfer (ET) allele-specific primers. Using a 96-channel radial CAE microplate, the labeled ASPCR products generated from 96 samples in a reference Caucasian population are simultaneously separated with single-base-pair resolution and genotyped in under 10 min. Detection is accomplished with a laser-excited rotary four-color fluorescence scanner. The allele-specific amplicons are differentiated on the basis of both their size and the color of the label emission. This study is the first demonstration of the combined use of ASPCR with ET primers and microfabricated radial CAE microplates to perform multiplex SNP analyses in a clinically relevant population.

Alleles↗

PubMed2001

Genotyping energy-transfer-cassette-labeled short-tandem-repeat amplicons with capillary array electrophoresis microchannel plates.

BACKGROUND: Genetic analysis of microsatellite DNA is a powerful tool used in linkage analysis, gene mapping, and clinical diagnosis. To address the expanding needs of studies of short tandem repeats (STRs), we demonstrated high-performance STR analysis on a high-throughput microchannel plate-based platform. METHODS: Energy-transfer-cassette-labeled STR amplicons were separated and typed on a microfabricated 96-channel radial capillary array electrophoresis (CAE) microchannel plate system. Four-color detection was accomplished with a laser-excited confocal fluorescence rotary scanner. RESULTS: Multiplex STR analysis with single base-pair resolution was demonstrated on denaturing polyacrylamide gel media. The high-throughput multiplex capabilities of this genetic analysis platform were demonstrated by the simultaneous separation of STR amplicons representing 122 samples in ninety-six 5.5-cm-long channels in <8 min. Sizing values obtained for these amplicons on the CAE microchannel plate were comparable to those measured on a conventional commercial CAE instrument and exhibit <1% sizing variance. CONCLUSIONS: Energy-transfer-cassette labeling and microfabricated CAE microchannel plates allow high-performance multiplex STR analyses.

Cell Line↗

PubMed1999

Leptin stimulates glucose uptake in C2C12 muscle cells by activation of ERK2.

Leptin regulates energy homeostasis via binding to receptors in the hypothalamus and peripheral tissues. We have investigated the signaling pathways and effects of leptin on glucose transport in C2C12 muscle cells. Long and short forms of leptin receptor are expressed in differentiated C2C12 myotubes. Leptin enhanced the DNA-binding activity of the transcription factor STAT3 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) activity was stimulated by leptin after 15 min. Leptin increased glucose uptake and GLUT4 recruitment to the cell surface after 30 min, whereas no changes in GLUT1 was observed. PD98059, an ERK2 kinase-1 inhibitor, and wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase blocked the leptin-induced increase in glucose uptake and GLUT4 recruitment to the cell surface. In contrast, insulin-stimulated glucose transport and GLUT4 translocation was inhibited by wortmannin, but not by PD98059. Our results suggest that leptin may regulate glucose metabolism by acting directly on skeletal muscle and that the signaling pathways involved may be different from that activated by insulin.

Androstadienes↗

PubMed1998

The long acting human insulin analog HOE 901: characteristics of insulin signalling in comparison to Asp(B10) and regular insulin.

HOE 901 is a new biosynthetic long-acting human insulin analog (GLY[A21]ARG[B31]ARG[B32]). We compared HOE 901 with normal human insulin and the insulin analog Asp(B10), which is known to have increased mitogenic activity at least partially mediated through the insulin receptor. We have analyzed receptor binding, insulin-induced receptor autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of receptor substrates in rat-1 fibroblasts overexpressing human insulin receptor isoform A (HIR A) or B (HIR B). In HIR A expressing cells, insulin and its analogs showed no significant differences in receptor association while clearly different dissociation kinetics were observed. In HIR B expressing cells, no significant differences in association and dissociation kinetics were observed. All insulins induced rapid autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor reaching a maximum after 10 min of stimulation. Asp(B10)insulin induced a prolonged phosphorylation state (over 60 minutes) of the 95 kDa receptor beta-subunit and of the substrates IRS-1/IRS-2 and Shc in contrast to normal human insulin and to HOE 901. In addition, we observed an increased and prolonged tyrosine phosphorylation of an unidentified protein with Asp(B10)insulin at about 60 kDa. Insulin-dependent dephosphorylation of the focal adhesion kinase (p125FAK) was equally induced by all these ligands. With respect to [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, HOE 901 had similar effects as normal human insulin, while Asp(B10)insulin showed increased [3H]thymidine incorporation. In summary, the data show that the increased mitogenic activity of Asp(B10)insulin may be explained with a prolonged kinetics of tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and of insulin signalling elements together with the preferential phosphorylation of an yet unidentified 60 kDa protein. HOE 901 behaves with respect to insulin receptor binding, receptor autophosphorylation, phosphorylation of signalling elements and promotion of mitogenesis like regular human insulin.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Leptin stimulates glucose transport and glycogen synthesis in C2C12 myotubes: evidence for a P13-kinase mediated effect.

It was recently shown that leptin impairs insulin signalling, i.e. insulin receptor autophosphorylation and insulin-receptor substrate (IRS)-1 phosphorylation in rat-1 fibroblasts, NIH3T3 cells and HepG2 cells. To evaluate whether leptin might impair the effects of insulin in muscle tissue we studied the interaction of insulin and leptin in a muscle cell system, i.e. C2C12 myotubes. Preincubation of C2C12 cells with leptin (1-500 ng/ml) did not significantly affect insulin stimulated glucose transport and glycogen synthesis (1.8 to 2 fold stimulation); however, leptin by itself (1 ng/ml) was able to mimic approximately 80-90% of the insulin effect on glucose transport and glycogen synthesis. Both glucose transport as well as glycogen synthesis were inhibited by the phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI3)-kinase inhibitor wortmannin and the protein kinase C inhibitor H7 while no effect was observed with the S6-kinase inhibitor rapamycin. We determined whether the effect of leptin occurs through activation of IRS-1 and PI3-kinase. Leptin did not stimulate PI3-kinase activity in IRS-1 immunoprecipitates; however, PI3-kinase activation could be demonstrated in p85 alpha immunoprecipitates (3.04 +/- 1.5 fold of basal). In summary the data provide the first evidence for a positive crosstalk between the signalling chain of the insulin receptor and the leptin receptor. Leptin mimics in C2C12 myotubes insulin effects on glucose transport and glycogen synthesis most likely through activation of PI3-kinase. This effect of leptin occurs independently of IRS-1 activation in C2C12 cells.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine↗

PubMed1996

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha- and hyperglycemia-induced insulin resistance. Evidence for different mechanisms and different effects on insulin signaling.

Inhibition of insulin receptor signaling by high glucose levels and by TNF-alpha was recently observed in different cell systems. The aim of the present study was to characterize the mechanism of TNF-alpha-induced insulin receptor inhibition and to compare the consequences of TNF-alpha- and hyperglycemia-induced insulin receptor inhibition for signal transduction downstream from the IR. TNF-alpha (0.5-10 nM) and high glucose (25 mM) showed similar rapid kinetics of inhibition (5-10 min, > 50%) of insulin receptor autophosphorylation in NIH3T3 cells overexpressing the human insulin receptor. TNF-alpha effects were completely prevented by the phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) inhibitors orthovanadate (40 microM) and phenylarsenoxide (35 microM), but they were unaffected by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor H7 (0.1 mM), the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase inhibitor wortmannin (5 microM), and the thiazolidindione troglitazone (CS045) (2 microgram/ml). In contrast, glucose effects were prevented by PKC inhibitors and CS045 but unaffected by PTPase inhibitors and wortmannin. To assess effects on downstream signaling, tyrosine phosphorylation of the following substrate proteins of the insulin receptor was determined: insulin receptor substrate-1, the coupling protein Shc, focal adhesion kinase (FAK125), and unidentified proteins of 130 kD, 60 kD. Hyperglycemia (25 mM glucose) and TNF-alpha showed analogous (> 50% inhibition) effects on tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1, Shc, p60, and p44, whereas opposite effects were observed for tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK125, which is dephosphorylated after insulin stimulation. Whereas TNF-alpha did not prevent insulin-induced dephosphorylation of FAK125, 25 mM glucose blocked this insulin effect completely. In summary, the data suggest that TNF-alpha and high glucose modulate insulin receptor-signaling through different mechanisms: (a) TNF-alpha modulates insulin receptor signals by PTPase activation, whereas glucose acts through activation of PKC. (b) Differences in modulation of the insulin receptor signaling cascade are found with TNF-alpha and high glucose: Hyperglycemia-induced insulin receptor inhibition blocks both insulin receptor-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate proteins. In contrast, TNF-alpha blocks only substrate phosphorylation, and it does not block insulin-induced substrate dephosphorylation. The different effects on FAK125 regulation allow the speculation that long-term cell effects related to FAK125 activity might develop in a different way in hyperglycemia- and TNF-alpha-dependent insulin resistance.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1996

Modulation of insulin receptor signaling. Potential mechanisms of a cross talk between bradykinin and the insulin receptor.

Insulin resistance of the skeletal muscle plays a key role in the development of the metabolic endocrine syndrome and its further progression to type II diabetes. Impaired signaling from the insulin receptor to the glucose transport system and to glycogen synthase is thought to be the cause of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. An incomplete activation of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase, which is found in type II diabetes, appears to contribute to the pathogenesis of the signaling defect. Available data suggest that the impaired tyrosine kinase function of the insulin receptor is not due to an inherited defect but rather is caused by a modulation of insulin receptor function. We used rat-1 fibroblasts and NIH-3T3 cells stably overexpressing human insulin receptor and 293 cells transiently overexpressing human insulin receptor to characterize conditions modulating the signaling function of the insulin receptor kinase. Using these cell models, we could demonstrate that activation of different protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms by high glucose levels or phorbol esters causes a rapid inhibition of the receptor tyrosine kinase activity. This effect is most likely mediated through serine phosphorylation of the receptor beta-subunit. It can be prevented by PKC inhibitors and the new oral antidiabetic agent thiazolidindione. The data suggest that PKC might be an important negative regulator of insulin receptor function. Because we have recently shown that bradykinin activates different isoforms of PKC in these cell types, an inhibitory cross talk between the bradykinin receptor and the insulin receptor through PKC activation seemed possible. However, we were unable to observe an insulin receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition through bradykinin, suggesting that different isoforms of PKC are activated by hyperglycemia and bradykinin. On the other hand, a modulation of bradykinin signals by insulin could be demonstrated in these cells. Bradykinin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins of approximately 130 and 70 kDa was inhibited by insulin treatment of rat-1 fibroblasts. These data suggest that signals from the insulin receptor modify signaling from the bradykinin receptor to tyrosine phosphorylation of different cellular proteins.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

C-terminus or juxtamembrane deletions in the insulin receptor do not affect the glucose-dependent inhibition of the tyrosine kinase activity.

We have previously shown, in rat-1 fibroblasts which stably overexpress high levels of human insulin receptor (HIR), that high glucose levels induce an inhibition of insulin receptor tyrosine kinase (IRK) activity [Berti, L., Mosthaf, L., Kellerer, M., Tippmer, S., Mushack, J., Seffer, E., Seedorf, K., Häring, H. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 3381-3386]. This effect appears to be mediated through activation of protein kinase C and phosphorylation of the receptor beta-subunit on threonine or serine residues. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the juxtamembrane region or the C-terminus tail of the receptor are involved in the IRK modulation by glucose. In these domains increased serine and threonine phosphorylation was observed after phorbol ester or insulin stimulation of cells, and a regulatory function for IRK activity seems conceivable. We used an antibody directed against one potential regulatory site in the C-terminus tail, i.e. PSer1315, to study the effect of glucose. An increased signal was detected in HIR from rat-1 fibroblasts treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate or glucose (25 mM). To investigate whether this site in the C-terminus is essential for glucose-dependent IRK inhibition, rat-1 fibroblasts stably overexpressing a C-terminus-truncated human insulin receptor lacking 43 amino acids (HIR delta CT) were studied in parallel with cells expressing the wild-type receptor. As described earlier, HIR delta CT has lost the ability to stimulate glucose uptake. Glucose (25 mM) inhibited the insulin effect on the autophosphorylation of both receptors to a similar extent. Thus, glucose (25 mM) stimulates phosphorylation of Ser1315, however, this appears not to mediate the inhibitory effect on IRK. To test whether serine residues 955/956 and 962/964 in the juxtamembrane region of the insulin receptor are involved in the inhibitory effect of glucose, 293 cells transiently transfected either with wild-type HIR or HIR with a juxtamembrane deletion spanning amino acids 954-965 [des-(954-965)-HIR] were studied in parallel. As described earlier, the des-(954-965)-HIR has lost the ability to stimulate PI-3 kinase. However, 25 mM glucose equally inhibited the insulin effect on tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor. Together, the data suggest that the regulatory serine or threonine phosphorylation site(s) involved in the inhibitory effect of hyperglycemia are neither located in the C-terminus nor in the juxtamembrane region of the insulin receptor beta subunit.

3-O-Methylglucose↗

PubMed1995

Acute hyperglycemia provides an insulin-independent inducer for GLUT4 translocation in C2C12 myotubes and rat skeletal muscle.

GLUT4 translocation and activation of glucose uptake in skeletal muscle can be induced by both physiological (i.e., insulin, nerve stimulation, or exercise) and pharmacological (i.e., phorbol ester) means. Recently, we demonstrated that high glucose levels may mimic the effects of phorbol esters on protein kinase C (PKC) and insulin receptor function (J Biol Chem 269:3381-3386, 1994). In this study, we tested whether the previously described effects of phorbol esters on translocation of GLUT4 in myotubes in culture and also in rat skeletal muscle might be mimicked by glucose. We found that stimulation of C2C12 myotubes with both insulin (10(-7) mol/l, 5 min) and glucose (25 mmol/l, 10 min) induces a comparable increase of the GLUT4 content in the plasma membrane. To test whether this effect occurs in intact rat skeletal muscle as well, two different model systems were used. As an in vitro model, isolated rat hindlimbs were perfused for 80 min with medium containing 6 mmol/l glucose +/- insulin (1.6 x 10(-9) mmol/l, 40 min) or 25 mmol/l glucose. As an in vivo model, acute hyperglycemia (> 11 mmol/l glucose, 20 min) was induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of glucose under simultaneous suppression of the endogenous insulin release by injection of somatostatin. In both models, subcellular fractions were prepared from hindlimb skeletal muscle, and plasma membranes were characterized by the enrichment of the marker enzyme alpha 1 Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗