Internalization of the neonatal brain insulin receptor

Receptor-mediated internalization of [3H]-neurotensin in synaptosomal preparations from rat neostriatum

Following its binding to somatodendritic receptors, the neuropeptide neurotensin (NT) internalizes via a clathrin-mediated process. In the present study, we investigated whether NT also internalizes presynaptically using synaptosomes from rat neostriatum, a region in which NT1 receptors are virtually all presynaptic. Binding of [(3)H]-NT to striatal synaptosomes in the presence of levocabastine to block NT2 receptors is specific, saturable, and has NT1 binding properties. A significant fraction of the bound radioactivity is resistant to hypertonic acid wash indicating that it is internalized. Internalization of [(3)H]-NT, like that of [(125)I]-transferrin, is blocked by sucrose and low temperature, consistent with endocytosis occurring via a clathrin-dependent pathway. However, contrary to what was reported at the somatodendritic level, neither [(3)H]-NT nor [(125)I]-transferrin internalization in synaptosomes is sensitive to the endocytosis inhibitor phenylarsine oxide. Moreover, treatment of synaptosomes with monensin, which prevents internalized receptors from recycling to the plasma membrane, reduces [(3)H]-NT binding and internalization, suggesting that presynaptic NT1 receptors, in contrast to somatodendritic ones, are recycled back to the plasma membrane. Taken together, these results suggest that NT internalizes in nerve terminals via an endocytic pathway that is related to, but is mechanistically distinct from that responsible for NT internalization in nerve cell bodies.

Insulin receptors and insulin action in dissociated brain cells

The present study was conducted to characterize insulin receptors and insulin action in rat brain cells. Binding of [125I]insulin to cells obtained by mechanically dissociating rat brains was 86% specific, time-dependent and reached equilibrium within 90 min. The t1/2 of association was 14 min and t1/2 of dissociation was 8 min. Scatchard analysis demonstrated the typical curvilinear plot providing high affinity (0.03 nM) and low affinity (6.6 nM) binding sites. The total number of binding sites were 0.15 pmol/mg protein. Crosslinking of [125I]insulin to its receptors on dissociated brain cells followed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography showed that the alpha-subunit of the receptor had a molecular weight of 122,000. This was in contrast with a molecular weight of 134,000 for the liver alpha-subunit. Incubation of dissociated brain cells with insulin resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of total [3H]norepinephrine (NE) uptake. This inhibitory effect of insulin on [3H]NE uptake was sodium ion-dependent suggesting that 80-90% of the sodium ion-dependent uptake was insulin-sensitive. Incubation of lectin-purified insulin receptors with insulin resulted in a time- and concentration-dependent stimulation of phosphorylation of the tyrosine residue of an exogenous substrate poly (Glu, Tyr) (4:1). In addition, insulin also stimulated the autophosphorylation of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptors. These observations corroborate our contention that insulin exerts neuromodulatory effects mediated by the specific insulin receptors in the brain.