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N Begum

Publications and source records attributed to N Begum.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 induction by insulin in vascular smooth muscle cells. Evaluation of the role of the nitric oxide signaling pathway and potential defects in hypertension.

In this study, we examined the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase (MKP-1) expression by insulin in primary vascular smooth muscle cell cultures. Insulin caused a rapid time- and dose-dependent induction of MKP-1 mRNA and protein expression. Blockade of nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) with NG-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate, and cGMP with RpcGMP, completely inhibited MKP-1 expression. Insulin-mediated MKP-1 expression was preceded by inducible NOS (iNOS) induction and cGMP production. Blockade of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) signaling with wortmannin inhibited insulin-mediated iNOS protein induction, cGMP production, and MKP-1 expression. To evaluate potential interactions between NOS and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, we employed PD98059 and SB203580, two specific inhibitors of ERKs and p38 MAPK. These inhibitors abolished the effect of insulin on MKP-1 expression. Only PD98059 inhibited insulin-mediated iNOS protein induction. Vascular smooth muscle cells from spontaneous hypertensive rats exhibited a marked decrease in MKP-1 induction due to defects in insulin-induced iNOS expression because of reductions in PI3-kinase activity. Treatment with sodium nitroprusside and 8-bromo-cGMP restored MKP-1 mRNA expression to levels comparable with controls. We conclude that insulin-induced MKP-1 expression is mediated by PI3-kinase-initiated signals, leading to the induction of iNOS and elevated cGMP levels that stimulates MKP-1 expression.

Androstadienes↗

Altered regulation of insulin signaling components in adipocytes of insulin-resistant type II diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats.

We investigated the cellular mechanism(s) of insulin resistance associated with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) using adipocytes isolated from non-obese, insulin-resistant type II diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, a well-known genetic rat model for type II diabetic humans. In adipocytes isolated from control rats, insulin (5 nmol/L) stimulated particulate serine/threonine protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) activity (56% increase over the basal value after 5 minutes). In contrast, adipocytes from diabetic GK rats exhibited a 32% decrease in basal (P < .05) and a 65% decrease in insulin-stimulated PP-1 activity compared with values in control Wistar rats. Conversely, cytosolic PP-2A activity was elevated in diabetic GK rats in the basal state (twofold increase v controls, P < .05). Insulin treatment resulted in a 50% to 60% inhibition in PP-2A activity in control rats, but failed to inhibit PP-2A activity in diabetic GK rat adipocytes. The defects in PP-1/PP-2A activation/inactivation were accompanied by inhibition of insulin's effect on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. In addition, insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor (IR) substrate-1 (IRS-1) was decreased more than 90% compared with control values, while a twofold increase in basal IRS-1 phosphorylation status was observed in diabetic GK rats. The abnormalities in IRS-1 phosphorylation were accompanied by a severe impairment of insulin-mediated targeting of the Grb2/Sos complex to the plasma membrane. We conclude that (1) a rapid activation of PP-1 along with concomitant inhibition of cytosolic PP-2A may be important in the mechanism of insulin action in a normal cell, and (2) the resistance to insulin in terms of glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis observed in diabetic GK rats is partly due to defective regulation of PP-1, PP-2A, and MAPK caused by multiple defects in the upstream insulin signaling components (IRS-1/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase [PI3-kinase] and Grb2/Sos) that participate in insulin-mediated activation of PP-1 and inactivation of PP-2A.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Vascular smooth muscle cell growth and insulin regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase in hypertension.

Hyperinsulinemia (HI) and insulin resistance (IR) are frequently associated with hypertension and atherosclerosis. However, the exact roles of HI and IR in the development of hypertension are unclear. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) are well-characterized intracellular mediators of cell proliferation. In this study, we examined the contribution of MAPK pathway in insulin-stimulated mitogenesis using primary vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) isolated from aortas of normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). VSMCs were grown to confluence in culture, serum starved, and examined for DNA synthesis (using [3H]thymidine (TDR), immunoprecipitated MAPK activity, and MAPK phosphatase (MKP-1) induction). Basal rate of TDR incorporation into DNA was twofold higher in SHR compared with WKY (P < 0.005). Insulin caused a dose-dependent increase in TDR incorporation (150% over basal levels with 100 nM in 12 h). Stimulation was sustained for 24 h with a decline toward basal in 36 h. Pretreatment with insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor antibody did not abolish mitogenesis mediated by 10-100 nM insulin, suggesting that insulin effect is mediated via its own receptors. Insulin had a small mitogenic effect in WKY (33% over basal). Insulin-stimulated mitogenesis was accompanied by a dose-dependent increase in MAPK activity in SHR, with a peak activation (>2-fold over basal) between 5 and 10 min with 100 nM insulin. Insulin had very small effects on MAPK activity in WKY. In contrast, serum-stimulated MAPK activation was comparable in WKY and SHR. Pretreatment with MEK inhibitor, PD-98059, completely blocked insulin's effect on MAPK activation and mitogenesis. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase with wortmannin also prevented insulin's effects on MAPK activation and mitogenesis. In WKY, insulin and IGF-I treatment resulted in a rapid induction of MKP-1, the dual-specificity MAPK phosphatase. In contrast, VSMCs from SHR were resistant to insulin with respect to MPK-1 expression. We conclude that insulin is mitogenic in SHR, and the effect appears to be mediated by sustained MAPK activation due to impaired insulin-mediated MKP-1 mRNA expression, which may act as an inhibitory feedback loop in attenuating MAPK signaling.

Androstadienes↗

Protein phosphatase-1 and insulin action.

Protein Phosphatase-1 (PP-1) appears to be the key component of the insulin signalling pathway which is responsible for bridging the initial insulin-simulated phosphorylation cascade with the ultimate dephosphorylation of insulin sensitive substrates. Dephosphorylations catalyzed by PP-1 activate glycogen synthase (GS) and simultaneously inactivate phosphorylase a and phosphorylase kinase promoting glycogen synthesis. Our in vivo studies using L6 rat skeletal muscle cells and freshly isolated adipocytes indicate that insulin stimulates PP-1 by increasing the phosphorylation status of its regulatory subunit (PP-1G). PP-1 activation is accompanied by an inactivation of Protein Phosphatase-2A (PP-2A) activity. To gain insight into the upstream kinases that mediate insulin-stimulated PP-1G phosphorylation, we employed inhibitors of the ras/MAPK, PI3-kinase, and PKC signalling pathways. These inhibitor studies suggest that PP-1G phosphorylation is mediated via a complex, cell type specific mechanism involving PI3-kinase/PKC/PKB and/or the ras/MAP kinase/Rsk kinase cascade. cAMP agonists such as SpcAMP (via PKA) and TNF-alpha (recently identified as endogenous inhibitor of insulin action via ceramide) block insulin-stimulated PP-1G phosphorylation with a parallel decrease of PP-1 activity, presumably due to the dissociation of the PP-1 catalytic subunit from the regulatory G-subunit. It appears that any agent or condition which interferes with the insulin-induced phosphorylation and activation of PP-1, will decrease the magnitude of insulin's effect on downstream metabolic processes. Therefore, regulation of the PP-1G subunit by site-specific phosphorylation plays an important role in insulin signal transduction in target cells. Mechanistic and functional studies with cell lines expressing PP-1G subunit site-specific mutations will help clarify the exact role and regulation of PP-1G site-specific phosphorylations on PP-1 catalytic function.

Animals↗

Role of serine/threonine protein phosphatases in insulin regulation of Na+/K+-ATPase activity in cultured rat skeletal muscle cells.

In this study, we examined the potential role of serine/threonine protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) and PP-2A in the mechanism of Na+/K+-ATPase activation by insulin in the rat skeletal muscle cell line L6. Incubation of L6 cells with insulin caused a time- and dose-dependent stimulation of ouabain-sensitive plasma membrane Na+/K+-ATPase activity. Pretreatment with okadaic acid (OA; 0.1-1 microM) or calyculin A (1 microM) blocked insulin's effect on Na+/K+-ATPase activation. Low concentrations of OA that specifically inhibit PP-2A were ineffective. Immunoprecipitation of the enzyme from 32P-labeled cells with an antibody directed against the alpha-1 subunit of the enzyme revealed a 60% decrease in 110-kDa protein phosphorylation in insulin-treated cells. The presence of calyculin A blocked insulin-mediated dephosphorylation of Na+/K+-ATPase, whereas low concentrations of OA were ineffective. To further confirm the role of PP-1, we used L6 cell lines that overexpress the glycogen/SR-associated regulatory subunit of PP-1, PP-1G. Overexpression of PP-1G resulted in a 3-fold increase in insulin-stimulated PP-1 catalytic activity. This was accompanied by a 30% increase in basal Na+/K+-ATPase activity and a >2-fold increase in insulin's effect on pump activity. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase with wortmannin blocked insulin-stimulated PP-1 activation as well as the dephosphorylation and activation of Na+/K+-ATPase. We conclude that insulin regulates the activity of Na+/K+-ATPase by promoting dephosphorylation of the alpha subunit via an insulin-stimulated PP-1 and that phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase-generated signals may mediate insulin activation of PP-1 and Na+/K+-ATPase.

Androstadienes↗

The effect of modulating the glycogen-associated regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase-1 on insulin action in rat skeletal muscle cells.

Recent studies from this laboratory have shown that insulin rapidly stimulates a membranous protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) in cultured rat skeletal muscle cells and isolated rat adipocytes. Stimulation of PP-1 is accompanied by the phosphorylation of a 160-kDa regulatory subunit of PP-1 (PP-1G). To further evaluate the exact role of this subunit in insulin action, L6 rat skeletal muscle cells were stably transfected with a vector containing the gene for PP-1G in the sense and antisense orientations. Transfection with the vector containing the PP-1G gene in the sense orientation yielded three stable clones with a 4- to 6-fold increase in PP-1G protein expression compared to those of wild-type L6 cells and neo control cells harboring an empty expression vector. Compared to the neo control, overexpression of PP-1G resulted in a 3-fold increase in insulin-stimulated PP-1 catalytic activity bound to PP-1G immunoprecipitates. These cell lines were examined for insulin's effect on glucose uptake, glycogen synthase activity, and glycogen synthesis. Insulin treatment resulted in an approximately 2-fold increase in 2-deoxyglucose uptake in recombinant cells compared to control cells (P < 0.05). This increase in 2-deoxyglucose transport was accompanied by an approximately 2-fold increase in insulin-stimulated glycogen synthase fractional activity (P < 0.05) and a 2- to 4-fold increase in insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis compared to control cells. In conjunction with these observations, we found that an 85% depletion of endogenous PP-1G, using antisense constructs, resulted in a complete lack of PP-1 activation and an inhibition of basal and insulin-stimulated glucose transport. We conclude that the PP-1G holoenzyme is the major phosphatase regulated by insulin in vivo and plays an important role in insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis by regulating the catalytic activity of bound PP-1.

Adipocytes↗

cAMP counter-regulates insulin-mediated protein phosphatase-2A inactivation in rat skeletal muscle cells.

In this study, we examined the mechanism of recently reported inactivation of protein phosphatase-2A (PP-2A) by insulin (Srinivasan, M., and Begum, N. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 12514-12520) and its counter-regulation by cAMP agonists. Exposure of L6 myotubes to insulin resulted in a rapid inhibition of PP-2A that was accompanied by a 3-fold increase in the phosphotyrosine content of the immunoprecipitated PP-2A catalytic subunit. Pretreatment with (Sp)-cAMP, a cAMP agonist, completely blocked insulin-mediated inhibition of PP-2A activity and decreased the tyrosine phosphorylation of PP-2A catalytic subunit to control levels. To understand the mechanism of counter-regulation of PP-2A by (Sp)-cAMP, cells were pretreated with sodium orthovanadate, an inhibitor of phosphotyrosine phosphatases. Vanadate prevented the effect of (Sp)-cAMP on PP-2A activity and increased the phosphorylation status of PP-2A catalytic subunit to the level observed with insulin. Wortmannin, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, and rapamycin, an inhibitor of 70-kDa S6 kinase activation, prevented insulin-mediated inactivation of PP-2A, suggesting that these pathways may participate in insulin-mediated phosphorylation and inactivation of PP-2A. These results show that insulin signaling results in a rapid inactivation of PP-2A by increased tyrosine phosphorylation and cAMP agonists counter-regulate insulin's effect on PP-2A by decreasing phosphorylation, presumably via an activated phosphatase.

Androstadienes↗

Effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on insulin-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in cultured rat skeletal muscle cells.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a proposed mediator of insulin resistance in obese/diabetic animals through its effects on tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and its substrate, insulin receptor substrate-1. In this study, the acute effects of TNF-alpha on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling cascade were examined in cultured rat skeletal muscle cell line, L6. Insulin treatment of L6 cells resulted in a rapid increase in MAPK activity (> twofold in 5 min with 10 nM insulin). Prior treatment with TNF-alpha for 60 min blocked subsequent insulin-induced activation of MAPK in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Metabolic labelling studies with inorganic [32P]phosphate followed by immuno-precipitation of MAPK and its upstream activator, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, indicated decreased phosphorylation of MAPK and its kinase in response to insulin in cells exposed to TNF-alpha. This effect of TNF-alpha was not due to inhibition of insulin-stimulated p21ras-GTP loading or Raf-1 phosphorylation. Low concentrations (2 nM) of okadaic acid, a serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor, prevented TNF-alpha-induced inhibition of MAPK and restored insulin's effect on MAPK activity, while orthovanadate (a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor), inhibitor 2 (phosphatase-1 inhibitor) and FK506 (phosphatase-2B inhibitor) were ineffective. These results suggested an involvement of an okadaic-acid-sensitive serine/threonine phosphatase in TNF-alpha-induced blockade of insulin's effect on MAPK and/or its kinase. Therefore, we examined the effect of TNF-alpha on protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) and protein phosphatase-2A (PP-2A) activities. As reported by us earlier, insulin rapidly stimulated PP-1 and concomitantly inhibited PP-2A activities in control cells. TNF-alpha treatment blocked insulin-induced activation of PP-1. In contrast to PP-1, TNF-alpha caused a 60% increase in PP-2A activity and insulin failed to prevent this TNF-alpha effect. The time course of PP-2A activation by TNF-alpha preceded the kinetics of inhibition of MAPK. Cell-permeable ceramide analogs mimicked the TNF-alpha effect on MAPK inhibition and PP-2A activation. We conclude that TNF-alpha abrogates the insulin effect on MAPK activation by increasing dephosphorylation of MAPK kinase via an activated phosphatase.

Animals↗

Effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on insulin action in cultured rat skeletal muscle cells.

In this study, the acute effects of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha on insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, glycogen synthesis, and protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) activation were examined in cultured rat skeletal muscle cell line, L6. Exposure of L6 cells to low concentrations of TNF-alpha (10 ng/ml for 60 min) inhibited basal and insulin stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake (40-50% decrease in basal and insulin stimulated glucose uptake respectively, when compared with controls, P < 0.05). The effect of TNF-alpha was more pronounced when the incubation period was extended to 6 and 12 h. TNF-alpha also blocked insulin activation of glycogen synthase (GS) and inhibited glycogen synthesis (measured as [14C]-glucose incorporated into glycogen). Because GS is activated by dephosphorylation via protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1), we examined the effect of TNF- alpha on PP-1 activation. As reported by us earlier (Srinivasan, M., and N. Begum, J Biol Chem 269:16662-16667, 1994), insulin rapidly stimulated PP-1 and concomitantly inhibited PP-2A activities in L6 cells. Pretreatment with TNF- alpha for 10-60 min blocked subsequent insulin-induced activation of PP-1. The impaired activation of PP-1 was accompanied by a reduction in insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of the regulatory subunit of PP-1. cAMP-Rp diastereomer, a cAMP antagonist failed to prevent the detrimental effects of TNF-alpha on PP-1. Cell permeable ceramide analogs, C2, C6, and Sphingomyelinase mimicked the effects of TNF-alpha on PP-1 inhibition. Furthermore, TNF-alpha treatment was accompanied by an increase in cellular ceramide levels, with concomitant reductions in sphingomyelin. We conclude that TNF-alpha blocks insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis by inhibiting PP-1 activation via ceramide release.

Animals↗

Stimulation of protein phosphatase-1 activity by insulin in rat adipocytes. Evaluation of the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.

In this study, we examined the distribution of protein serine/threonine phosphatase-1 (PP-1) and analyzed the effect of insulin on PP-1 and its mechanism of activation in freshly isolated rat adipocytes. The adipocyte particulate fraction (PF) constituted approximately 80% of cellular PP-1 activity, while PP-2A was entirely cytosolic. Insulin rapidly stimulated PF PP-1 in a time- and dose-dependent manner (maximum stimulation at 5 min with 4 nM insulin). Immunoprecipitation of PF with an antibody against the site-1 sequence of rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen-associated PP-1 (PP-1G) subunit indicated that approximately 40% of adipocyte PP-1 activity was due to PP-1G form of the enzyme. Insulin stimulated PP-1G (120% over basal levels) without affecting the other forms of PP-1 in the PF. Insulin activation of PP-1 was accompanied by > 2-fold increase in the phosphorylation state of the 160-kDa regulatory subunit of PP-1. Stimulation of p21Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway (MAP) with GTP analogues also resulted in stimulation of PP-1 similar to insulin. The insulin effect on MAP kinase and PP-1 activation was blocked by a GTP antagonist, guanyl-5'-yl thiophosphate. The inhibitors of MAP kinase activation (viz. cAMP agonists, SpcAMP and ML-9) also blocked PP-1 stimulation by insulin. The time course of MAP kinase activation preceded the phosphorylation of PP-1 regulatory subunit and PP-1 activation. We conclude that insulin rapidly activates a membrane-associated PP-1 in adipocytes, which may be similar to rabbit skeletal muscle PP-1G, and the activation is mediated by p21Ras/MAP kinase pathway.

Adipocytes↗

Stimulation of protein phosphatase-1 activity by phorbol esters. Evaluation of the regulatory role of protein kinase C in insulin action.

In this study, we examined the role of insulin, protein kinase C (PKC) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in activation of protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) by using three complementary approaches. First, differentiated L6 cells were acutely exposed to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA, 400 nM) to activate PKC. In these cells, TPA caused 32% stimulation of PP-1 activity. The PP-1 stimulation by TPA was comparable to stimulation by insulin (t1/2 = 1 min and EC50 = 5 nM) with a maximum effect in 5 min. The effects of insulin and TPA were not additive. Insulin and TPA also stimulated MAPK (> 2-fold increase over basal, with myelin basic protein as a substrate). ML-9, a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor, blocked the effects of insulin and TPA on both MAPK and PP-1 activation. In the second approach, PKC was down-regulated by chronic treatment with TPA. In these cells subsequent effects of insulin on MAPK and PP-1 activation were blocked, without an effect on basal enzyme levels. In the third approach, two selective inhibitors of PKC, calphostin and chelerythrine chloride, were used to inhibit PKC. These inhibitors completely prevented insulin and TPA stimulation of MAPK and PP-1 and blocked insulin-induced translocation of PKC to the plasma membranes. We conclude that PKC plays an important role in insulin stimulation of PP-1 via the activation of MAPK cascade.

Alkaloids↗

Regulation of protein phosphatase 1 and 2A activities by insulin during myogenesis in rat skeletal muscle cells in culture.

In this study, we examined protein phosphatase 1 (PP-1) and protein phosphatase 2A (PP-2A) activities during various stages of myogenesis and their regulation by insulin in rat skeletal muscle cells. Protein phosphatase activities were measured using 32P-labeled phosphorylase a, glycogen synthase, and phosphorylase kinase as substrates. Spontaneous PP-1 activity increased progressively in cultures from 2 to 5 days, PP-2A activities remained constant in days 2-4 cultures and increased sharply on day 5. Most of the times in culture, a significant proportion (approximately 65%) of PP-1 was in a form that could be activated by trypsin. Insulin stimulated PP-1 activity (40-80% increase over basal) in a time (t1/2 approximately 5 min)- and dose (EC50 approximately 0.1 nM)-dependent manner. Insulin activation of PP-1 was accompanied by a corresponding inhibition in PP-2A activity. The effects of insulin on PP-1 and PP-2A were differentiation dependent and were observed only in cells at fusion (day 5) and post-fusion. The insulin's effect on PP-1 correlated with the gradual appearance of PP-1 G subunit in cells at fusion. Immunoprecipitation of PP-1 from 32P-labeled cells with an antibody directed against the site 1 sequence of rabbit skeletal muscle PP-1G detected a 160-kDa protein, phosphorylation of which was significantly increased by insulin. This correlated well with the increase observed in immunoprecipitated PP-1G activity. Treatment of cells with a cAMP agonist (SpcAMP) completely blocked activation of PP-1 by insulin and diminished insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of the 160-kDa protein. The likely identity of the 160-kDa band as the regulatory subunit of PP-1 was confirmed by assay of PP-1 activity in the immunoprecipitates and by competition studies with the site 1 peptide against which the antibody was made. From these studies, we conclude that insulin activates PP-1 in L6 cells by increasing the phosphorylation of its regulatory subunit.

Animals↗

Phenylarsine oxide inhibits insulin-stimulated protein phosphatase 1 activity and GLUT-4 translocation.

Phenylarsine oxide (PAO) has previously been shown to inhibit insulin-stimulated glucose transport without affecting insulin binding and tyrosine kinase activity of insulin receptor (S. C. Frost and M. D. Lane. J. Biol. Chem. 260: 2646-2652, 1985). This study examines the effect of PAO on insulin's ability to activate adipocyte protein phosphatase 1 (PP-1) and dephosphorylate GLUT-4, the insulin-sensitive glucose transporter. In particulate fractions, insulin stimulated PP-1 activity (40% increase over basal with phosphorylase a) in a time- and dose-dependent manner (half-maximal effect of 0.89 nM in 1 min). Insulin did not alter cytosolic PP-1 activity. With GLUT-4 as a substrate, insulin caused more than twofold stimulation of particulate PP-1 activity. Addition of PAO (5 microM) before or after insulin treatment abolished insulin's effect on PP-1 activation. The presence of 2,3-dimercaptopropanol (200 microM) prevented the effect of PAO on PP-1 activation and glucose uptake. In addition, PAO significantly increased GLUT-4 phosphorylation, blocked insulin-stimulated dephosphorylation, and partially diminished insulin-stimulated translocation of GLUT-4. We conclude that PAO may interfere with the components of insulin signal transduction pathways that lead to the activation of PP-1 and this may be responsible for the observed inhibition in insulin action.

Adipocytes↗

Mechanism of impaired metabolic signaling by a truncated human insulin receptor. Decreased activation of protein phosphatase 1 by insulin.

Previous studies have shown that a human insulin receptor lacking the COOH-terminal 43-amino acid domain (HIR delta CT) displays a compromised ability to stimulate glucose transport and glycogen synthase, whereas mitogenic signaling and stimulation of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity remain intact (Maegawa, H., McClain, D. A., Freidenberg, G., Olefsky, J. M., Napier, M., Lipari, T., Dull, T. J., Lee, J., and Ullrich, A. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 8912-8917). In this study, we examined the effect of insulin on protein phosphatase 1 (PP-1) activity and phosphorylation in cells expressing wild-type human insulin receptor (HIRc) and HIR delta CT cells using phosphorylase alpha as substrate in the presence of 3 nM okadaic acid. Basal PP-1 activity was significantly lower in HIR delta CT than in HIRc cells (p < 0.05). Insulin stimulated PP-1 activity in HIRc cells (25-30% increase over basal activity) in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Insulin failed to stimulate PP-1 activity in HIR delta CT cells. Western blotting with the catalytic subunit antibody and the regulatory subunit antibody revealed similar amounts of the 37-kDa band (catalytic subunit) and the 160-kDa band (presumed regulatory subunit) in HIRc and HIR delta CT cells. We conclude that the COOH-terminal domain of the insulin receptor is an important element in mediating the effect of insulin on PP-1 and suggest that activation of PP-1 may be linked to signaling insulin's metabolic actions.

Animals↗

GLUT-4 phosphorylation and its intrinsic activity. Mechanism of Ca(2+)-induced inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose transport.

In this study, we examined the influence of high levels of cytosolic calcium on phosphorylation status and function of GLUT-4 in isolated rat adipocytes. Intracellular calcium was elevated by exposing adipocytes to either extracellular ATP (1.6 mM) or thapsigargin (100 nM). Both agents increased cytosolic calcium 2-3 fold. While basal glucose uptake was unaffected, both ATP and thapsigargin reduced insulin-stimulated glucose transport by 40-70% (p < 0.05). Neither ATP nor thapsigargin affected GLUT-4 content or its translocation from the low density microsomes to the plasma membrane (PM). In contrast, GLUT-4 immunoprecipitated from the PM of adipocytes exposed to either ATP or thapsigargin was phosphorylated to a greater extent than the GLUT-4 isolated from control cells. ATP and thapsigargin also abolished insulin-stimulated dephosphorylation of GLUT-4. At the same time, GLUT-4 intrinsic activity was significantly reduced in adipocytes with high levels of cytosolic calcium (p < 0.05). Preincubation of adipocytes with cAMP antagonist, RpcAMP (10(-4) M), and calcium channel blocker, nitrendipine (30 microM), improved the ability of insulin to dephosphorylate GLUT-4 and restored insulin-stimulated GLUT-4 intrinsic activity. We conclude that elevated levels of cytosolic calcium interfere with insulin's ability to dephosphorylate GLUT-4, thus reducing its intrinsic activity.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Protein phosphatase-1 and -2a activities in cultured fetal chick neurons: differential regulation by insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I.

In this study, we examined the developmental expression and regulation by insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) of protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) and protein phosphatase-2A (PP-2A) in cultured fetal chick neurons. Protein phosphatase activities were measured using 32P-labeled phosphorylase-a or 32P-labeled S6 kinase substrate peptide. In cell extracts from day 1-5 cultures, 40-45% of spontaneous protein phosphatase activity was due to PP-1. PP-2A accounted for the remaining 55-60% of enzyme activity. Spontaneous PP-1 activity increased by 100% in day 2 cultures and remained constant thereafter. PP-2A activity increased by 48% in day 2 cultures, with minimal increases in enzyme activity in later cultures. Under the assay conditions employed, at all times in culture a significant proportion (45-50%) of PP-1 was in an inactive form that could be reactivated by trypsin. PP-2A activity was not influenced by trypsin. Insulin stimulated neuronal PP-1 activity in day 4 and 5 cultures, but had no effect in earlier cultures. The activation of PP-1 by insulin was rapid, with a maximal effect (30-40% increase over basal levels) at 5 min with 10 ng/ml insulin. Insulin did not alter total (trypsin-released) PP-1 activity, the content of PP-1 catalytic subunit, or PP-2A activity at any time in culture. In contrast to insulin, IGF-I had no effect on PP-1 activity at any time in culture, but significantly increased PP-2A activity in day 5 cultures. Maximal stimulation of PP-2A activity by IGF-I was observed at 10 min, with an EC50 of 5 ng/ml. These results indicate that chick forebrain neurons contain both PP-1 and PP-2A activities and that neuronal PP-1 and PP-2A activities are differentially regulated by insulin and IGF-I. We conclude that although insulin and IGF-I share many steps in signal transduction, these growth factors have distinct actions on neuronal phosphatase activity that may impact on differences in their neurotropic actions.

Animals↗

Serological diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection in women associated with gyneco-obstetric problems.

The latex agglutination test (Toxoreagent) was used to detect the sero-prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in 302 Bangladeshi women who were under treatment for various gyneco-obstetric problems at the Mymensingh Medical College during January to June 1991. The over-all sero-prevalence rate was 15.89%, of which 6.25% reacted at 1:32, 33.33% at 1:64, 16.67% at 1:128, 22.92% at 1:256, 6.25% at 1:512 and 14.58% at 1:1024. The positivity rate of 18.60% recorded in women between 31 and 40 years was insignificantly (p > 0.05) higher than that of 15.44% in women between 17 and 30 years of age. Over-all 26.49% of infections resulted in abortion, 6.62 in stillbirths and 30.79% in dystocia, of which 20.0%, 30.0% and 7.53% women had positive titers to T. gondii, respectively, whereas 17.43% women with normal live births had also positive titers to T. gondii. The over-all prevalence rate of abortion in association with T. gondii infection was 5.30% which was higher than the rates of stillbirths (1.99%) and perinatal death (0.66%). It is concluded that toxoplasmosis can cause abortion, stillbirths and perinatal death in Bangladeshi women.

Abortion, Septic↗