Euglycemic hyperinsulinemia increases glucose 1,6-bisphosphate in human skeletal muscle

Calmodulin antagonists decrease glucose 1,6-bisphosphate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, ATP and viability of melanoma cells

Glycolysis is known to be the primary energy source in cancer cells. We investigated here the effect of four different calmodulin antagonists: thioridazine (10-[2-(1-methyl-2-piperidyl) ethyl]-2-methylthiophenothiazine), CGS 9343B (1,3-dihydro-1-[1-[(4-methyl-4H,6H-pyrrolo[1,2-a] [4,1]-benzoxazepin-4-yl)methyl]-4-piperidinyl]-2 H-benzimidazol-2-one (1:1) maleate), clotrimazole (1-(alpha-2-chlorotrityl)imidazole) and bifonazole (1-(alpha-biphenyl-4-ylbenzyl)imidazole), on the levels of glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, the two stimulatory signal molecules of glycolysis, and on ATP content and cell viability in B16 melanoma cells. We found that all four substances significantly reduced the levels of glucose 1,6-bisphosphate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate and ATP, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cell viability was reduced in a close correlation with the fall in ATP. The decrease in glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate did not result from the cytotoxic effects of the calmodulin antagonists, since their content was already reduced before any cytotoxic effect was observed. These findings suggest that the fall in the levels of the two signal molecules of glycolysis, induced by the calmodulin antagonists, causes a reduction in glycolysis and ATP levels, which eventually leads to cell death. Since cell proliferation was also reported to be inhibited by calmodulin antagonists, these substances are most promising agents in treatment of cancer by inhibiting both cell proliferation and the glycolytic supply of ATP required for cell growth.

Insulin rapidly stimulates binding of phosphofructokinase and aldolase to muscle cytoskeleton

1. We report here on a novel action of insulin which shows that the hormone stimulates binding of phosphofructokinase (PFK) and aldolase to muscle cytoskeleton. 2. This effect was demonstrated both in vivo, by injection of insulin, in the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles, as well as in vitro, in the isolated rat diaphragm muscle incubated with insulin. 3. Insulin exerted this effect at physiologic range of concentrations and very rapidly (about 50% stimulation of binding occurred within 1 min). 4. The possible physiological significance of this rapid action of insulin, is to provide local ATP, generated by the accelerated cytoskeletal glycolysis, for other rapidly insulin-stimulated membrane-cytoskeleton processes.

Fasting inhibits insulin-mediated glycolysis and anaplerosis in human skeletal muscle

Euglycemic (approximately 5.5 mM) hyperinsulinemic (60 mU.m-2.min-1) clamps were performed for 2 h after a 10-h fast and after a prolonged (72-h) fast. Biopsies were obtained from the quadriceps femoris muscle before and after each clamp. The rate of whole body glucose disposal was approximately 50% lower during the clamp after the 72-h fast (P less than or equal to 0.001). The increase in carbohydrate (CHO) oxidation (which is proportional to glycolysis) during the clamp after the 10-h fast (to 13.8 +/- 1.5 mumol.kg fat free mass-1.min-1) was completely abolished during the clamp after the 72-h fast (1.7 +/- 0.6; P less than or equal to 0.001). During the clamp after the 10-h fast, postphosphofructokinase (PFK) intermediates and malate in muscle increased, whereas glutamate decreased (P less than or equal to 0.05-0.001 vs. basal) and citrate did not change. During the clamp after the 72-h fast, there were no significant changes in post-PFK intermediates or glutamate (P greater than 0.05 vs. basal), but there was a decrease in citrate (P less than or equal to 0.01 vs. basal). Euglycemic hyperinsulinemia increased glycogen synthase fractional activity in muscle under both conditions but to a greater extent after the 72-h fast (P less than or equal to 0.01). It is concluded that insulin (after 10-h fast) increases glycolytic flux and the content of malate in muscle, which is probably due to increased anaplerosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Basal and insulin-mediated carbohydrate metabolism in human muscle deficient in phosphofructokinase 1

Biopsies were obtained from the quadriceps femoris muscle of two male patients deficient in phosphofructokinase (PFK) 1. In the basal state the patients had markedly higher contents of UDP-glucose (approximately 5-fold), hexose monophosphates (approximately 7- to 13-fold), inosine monophosphate (IMP) (approximately 15-fold), and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (F-2,6-P2; approximately 6-fold) than controls. Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate was not detectable, and phosphocreatine was lower (33 and 54 mmol/kg dry wt) than in controls [72 +/- 4 (SD)]. Patients had normal fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels and basal glucose turnover rates and responded normally to a 75-g oral glucose challenge. Patients were also studied during euglycemic hyperinsulinemia (approximately 95 mg/dl; 40 and 400 mU.m-2.min-1). Whole body glucose disposal rates were normal during both insulin infusion rates. Biopsies taken after the 400 mU insulin infusion showed decreases in acetylcarnitine and citrate and increases in the fractional activity of glycogen synthase. It is suggested that the high basal levels of F-2,6-P2 are, at least partly, a consequence of the high levels of fructose 6-phosphate, which will stimulate flux through PFK-2 and inhibit fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase. The low phosphocreatine and high IMP contents indicate that carbohydrate availability is important for control of high-energy phosphate metabolism, even in the basal state. The insulin-mediated decreases in acetylcarnitine and citrate suggest an activation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in skeletal muscle but an absence of the normal response to replenish these intermediates.

Role of glycogen in control of glycolysis and IMP formation in human muscle during exercise

The effect of prior glycogen depletion on glycolysis [flux through phosphofructokinase (PFK)] and inosine monophosphate (IMP) formation in human skeletal muscle has been investigated. Eight subjects cycled at a work load calculated to elicit 95% of maximal O2 uptake on two occasions, the first to fatigue [5.5 +/- 0.3 (SE) min] and the second at the same workload and for the same duration as the first. Before the first experiment, muscle glycogen stores were lowered by a combination of exercise and diet. Before the second experiment, muscle glycogen stores were supercompensated. In the low-glycogen (LG) state muscle glycogen decreased from 201 +/- 31 mmol glucosyl units/kg dry wt at rest to 105 +/- 28 after exercise, and in the high-glycogen (HG) state from 583 +/- 40 to 460 +/- 49. The accumulation of fructose 6-phosphate (F-6-P; activator of PFK) during exercise was markedly attenuated in the LG state (P less than 0.01), whereas lactate accumulation in muscle was similar between treatments, suggesting that muscle pH was also similar. Glycolysis (estimated from glycogenolysis minus accumulation of hexose monophosphates) was not measurably different between treatments (LG = 88 +/- 17, HG = 106 +/- 43 mmol/kg dry wt; P greater than 0.05). IMP was significantly greater in the LG state after exercise (3.63 +/- 0.85 vs. 1.97 +/- 0.44 mmol/kg dry wt; P less than 0.05). It is concluded that decreased glycogen availability does not measurably alter the rate of muscle glycolysis during intense exercise. It is hypothesized that the attenuated increase in F-6-P in the LG state, which should theoretically decrease glycolysis, is compensated for by increases in free ADP and AMP (activators of PFK) at the enzymatic site during the contraction phase. The greater increase in IMP in the LG state is consistent with this hypothesis, since ADP and AMP are also activators of AMP deaminase.

Epinephrine inhibits insulin-mediated glycogenesis but enhances glycolysis in human skeletal muscle

The effect of epinephrine (E) infusion on insulin-mediated glucose metabolism in humans has been studied. Eight glucose-tolerant men were studied on two separate occasions: 1) during 120 min of euglycemic hyperinsulinemia (UH, approximately 5 mM; 40 mU.m-2.min-1); and 2) during UH while E was infused (UHE, 0.05 microgram.kg-1.min-1). Biopsies were taken from the quadriceps femoris muscle before and after each clamp. Glucose disposal, correcting for endogenous glucose production, was 36 +/- 3 and 18 +/- 2 (SE) mumol.kg fat-free mass (FFM)-1.min-1 during the last 40 min of UH and UHE, respectively (P less than 0.001). Nonoxidative glucose disposal (presumably glycogenesis) averaged 23.0 +/- 3.0 and 4.0 +/- 1.1 (P less than 0.001), whereas carbohydrate oxidation (which is proportional to glycolysis) averaged 13.1 +/- 1.4 and 15.3 +/- 1.1 mumol.kg FFM-1.min-1 (P less than 0.05) during UH and UHE, respectively. UHE resulted in significantly higher contents of UDP-glucose, hexose monophosphates, postphosphofructokinase intermediates, and glucose 1,6-bisphosphate (G-1,6-P2) in muscle (P less than 0.05-0.001), but there were no significant differences in high-energy phosphates or fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (F-2,6-P2) between treatments. Fractional activities of phosphorylase increased (P less than 0.01), and glycogen synthase decreased (P less than 0.001) during UHE. It is concluded that E inhibits insulin-mediated glycogenesis because of an inactivation of glycogen synthase and an activation of glycogenolysis. E also appears to inhibit insulin-mediated glucose utilization, at least partly, because of an increase in G-6-phosphate (which inhibits hexokinase) and enhances glycolysis by G-1,6-P2-, fructose 6-phosphate-, and F-1,6-P2-mediated activation of PFK.

Insulin-mediated increase in glucose 1,6-bisphosphate is attenuated in skeletal muscle of insulin-resistant man

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of insulin infusion on the glucose 1,6-bisphosphate (glucose 1,6-P2) content in skeletal muscle of insulin resistant man. Euglycemic (approximately 100 mg/dL) hyperinsulinemic clamps were performed on seven men with chronically elevated fasting plasma glycemia (228 +/- 13 mg/dL, mean +/- SE) who were insulin resistant (HIR) and five men with normal fasting glycemia (115 +/- 5 mg/dL) who were insulin resistant (NIR). Insulin was infused at successive rates of 40 and 400 mU/m2/min, and biopsies were obtained from the quadriceps femoris muscle before and after insulin infusion. The results were compared with those of normoglycemic insulin-sensitive (NIS) men. The insulin-resistant groups had significantly higher percent body fat values than did the NIS group. Glucose 1,6-P2 increased from 70 +/- 6, 49 +/- 9, and 67 +/- 3 mumols/kg dry weight in the basal state to 135 +/- 12 (P less than .001 v basal), 67 +/- 11 (P greater than .05) and 79 +/- 3 (P greater than .05) after 40 mU insulin in NIS, HIR, and NIR, respectively. Glucose 1,6-P2 increased to 147 +/- 12 (P less than .001 v basal), 91 +/- 15 (P less than .01) and 99 +/- 13 (P less than .05) mumols/kg dry weight after 400 mU insulin in NIS, HIR, and NIR, respectively. The increase in glucose 1,6-P2 in response to 40 mU insulin was only 28% and 18% in HIR and NIR, respectively, of that in NIS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)