Insulin and glucagon binding and stimulation of amino acid transport in isolated hepatocytes from streptozotocin diabetic rats

Selective up-regulation of system a transporter mRNA in diabetic liver

The transport of alanine by system A is an important source of carbons for the synthesis of glucose in the liver. Here, we show that the mRNA encoding the ubiquitously expressed isoform of the rat system A transporter (SAT2) is dramatically increased in liver following streptozotocin-induced diabetes. This increase in SAT2 mRNA is intensified in the gluconeogenic periportal hepatocytes and also in hepatocytes surrounding the central vein. SAT3, the more abundant system A mRNA isoform present in liver, is restricted to perivenous hepatocytes and is also increased following this treatment but to a much lesser extent than SAT2 mRNA. SN1, an abundant system N mRNA isoform expressed in both perivenous and periportal hepatocytes, is not affected by streptozotocin treatment. A pharmacological dose of glucagon also increased both SAT2 and SAT3 mRNA levels in liver while SN1 mRNA levels remained unaffected. These results indicate that the increase in system A activity observed in liver following experimentally induced diabetes or glucagon treatment is due to the selective increase in mRNAs encoding system A transporters.

Mechanisms of up-regulation of the liver insulin receptor in chronically hypoinsulinemic rats: assessment of receptor endocytosis

Chronic hypoinsulinemic states in rodents are known to cause an increase in the number of insulin receptors at the hepatocyte surface. To assess whether this change results from a reduced endocytosis of the receptors, the effects of streptozotocin treatment and fasting on the number and the subcellular distribution of hepatic insulin receptors have been evaluated in the rat. In streptozotocin-treated rats, insulin receptor number was increased by 25-40% in plasma membrane and total cellular membrane fractions, and by 60-130% in the light Golgi-endosomal (GE) fraction. In contrast, receptor number was unaffected in the intermediate GE fraction and decreased by 25-35% in the heavy GE fraction. Such changes were detectable at 12 h in GE fractions and at 2 days in other subcellular fractions, and lasted for at least 8 days. Streptozotocin treatment also led to a 3- to 4-fold decrease in the insulin content of GE fractions, indicating reduced hormone endocytosis. Fasting for 16 h elicited changes in receptor and ligand concentration in cell fractions comparable to those induced by streptozotocin. It is concluded that, although endocytosis of hepatic insulin receptors is reduced in chronic hypoinsulinemic states, changes in receptor synthesis and/or degradation also occur in these states.

Insulin action on glucose uptake by soleus muscles of nonobese diabetic mice and streptozotocin diabetic mice

To elucidate the insulin action in skeletal muscles in insulin-dependent diabetes, the glucose uptake by isolated soleus muscles was studied in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic mice and nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice that develop insulinopenic diabetes spontaneously. The maximally insulin-stimulated uptake of 2-deoxyglucose was significantly decreased in spontaneously diabetic NOD mice with 3 to 6 weeks duration of diabetes (10.18 +/- 0.58 v 12.80 +/- 0.44 nmol/muscle/20 min, P less than .005), while basal 2-deoxyglucose uptake was not significantly altered in them. The net insulin-stimulated uptake measured individually was also significantly reduced in spontaneously diabetic NOD mice (1.33 +/- 0.23 v 4.07 +/- 0.40 nmol/muscle/20 min, P less than .001). This was the case with STZ-diabetic ICR mice with 6 weeks duration of diabetes and STZ-diabetic NOD mice with 2 weeks and 6 weeks durations of diabetes as well. The submaximal effect of insulin on 2-deoxyglucose uptake by the soleus muscle, defined as the percent of the maximal effect achieved at 10 ng/mL of insulin, was not significantly altered in STZ-diabetic NOD mice. These data suggest that a prolonged insulinopenic state might reduce the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscles by diminishing the insulin responsiveness and cause the insulin resistance in diabetic animals.

Effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on epidermal growth factor receptors in rat liver plasma membrane

The effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on 125I-labeled epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding was studied in microsomal membranes from rat liver. The binding of EGF in membranes from diabetic animals was significantly low, the value being about 60% of the control level. Scatchard analysis of the binding data clearly showed that the decrease in EGF binding was due to a decrease in the number of receptors. Treatment of diabetic animals with insulin restored EGF receptors to control levels, whereas the treatment with triiodothyronine had no effect. Serum EGF concentrations measured were almost the same among the control, diabetic, and insulin-treated diabetic groups. These results suggest that insulin deficiency in vivo causes a decrease in hepatic EGF receptors.

Decreased expression of liver epidermal growth factor receptors in rats with alloxan and streptozotocin diabetes

Male rats (200 g) were rendered diabetic with one intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (150 mg/kg) or streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). In hyperglycemic animals within 3 hours after the injection, the binding of EGF to liver membranes decreased by 43-52%; the maximal drop was by 70% and persisted for the 20 days of the experiment. EGF receptors decreased in number with almost no changes in their affinity. Autophosphorylation of the receptors decreased parallel to the ligand binding. In animals that received lower doses and did not develop diabetes and in animals in whom diabetes was prevented by the injections of glucose (before alloxan) or nicotinamide (before streptozotocin) the binding of EGF to liver receptors remained normal. We conclude that the decreased expression of EGF receptors was caused by diabetes and not by the toxic effects of the diabetogenic compounds on the liver.

Diabetes enhances activity of alanine transport in liver plasma membrane vesicles

In the present study plasma membrane vesicles were prepared from livers of control and alloxan-induced diabetic rats and the substrate specificity and kinetic characteristics of alanine transport determined in both groups. Sodium-dependent alanine uptake at physiological alanine concentrations (100 microM) was enhanced threefold in diabetic as compared with control animals (0.31 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.11 +/- 0.01 nmol X mg protein-1 X 10 s-1). This accelerated influx corresponded to a three- to fourfold increase in the Vmax of alanine transport in diabetic versus control group (7.1 +/- 2.1 vs. 1.6 +/- 0.2 nmol X mg protein-1 X 10 s-1, P less than 0.05), whereas the Km of alanine uptake was unchanged (2.8 +/- 1.2 vs. 1.4 +/- 0.1 mM). Other neutral amino acids (20 mM) inhibited alanine transport to a similar degree in both groups. The sodium-dependent influx of glutamine (100 microM) was similar in diabetic and control groups (0.17 +/- 0.03 and 0.14 +/- 0.02 nmol X mg protein-1 X 10 s-1, respectively). The initial velocity of 22Na uptake (80 mM) into vesicles and half-maximal stimulation of alanine transport was achieved at essentially identical sodium concentrations (approximately 40 mM) in both groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Insulin binding and degradation in isolated hepatocytes from streptozotocin injected rats

Isolated hepatocytes from streptozotocin injected rats bound the same amount of [125I]monoiodoinsulin as hepatocytes from control rats. Scatchard analysis confirmed that insulin receptor number and affinity were the same for both groups. Relatively more cell-associated radioactivity was located intracellularly in hepatocytes from streptozotocin injected rats. Pretreatment with chloroquine resulted in a smaller increase in intracellular [125I]monoiodoinsulin in cells isolated from streptozotocin injected rats than for control cells. These results suggest that intracellular insulin processing occurs more slowly in hepatocytes isolated from streptozotocin injected rats than from control rats.

Amino acid metabolism in hepatocytes isolated from lactating rats

Parenchymal hepatocytes isolated from lactating rats had similar rates of amino acid incorporation into protein, but increased rates of urea formation compared to hepatocytes from non-lactating rats. The increased urea formation may be due to increased amino acid transport and degradation. The liver contributes to the increased utilization of amino acids during lactation.

Cellular alterations responsible for insulin resistance in obesity and type II diabetes mellitus

Numerous studies in animals and man have demonstrated that insulin resistance is a prominent feature in both obesity and type II diabetes mellitus. Considerable work over the past decade has provided us with a clearer understanding of the pathophysiology of these insulin resistant states. Although some alterations responsible for insulin resistance have been identified, the factors that mediate these undesirable changes are still unknown. Recent evidence demonstrates that improving blood sugar levels by conventional means at least partially corrects both the insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency of type II diabetes mellitus. Thus, future efforts should be directed towards a clearer understanding of pathophysiology and more efficacious methods of achieving metabolic control.

Decreased glucagon-stimulated cyclic AMP production by isolated liver cells of rats with type 2 diabetes

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of experimental type 2 diabetes in the rat on the insulin and glucagon receptors and on the early steps of glucagon action. The binding of insulin and glucagon and the glucagon-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor (IBMX, 0.1 mmoles/l) were studied in liver cells isolated from 7-9-month-old rats with chronic type 2 diabetes and from control rats. No significant change was observed in [125I] insulin binding and [125I]glucagon binding of diabetic liver cells as compared to controls. Scatchard analysis of the competition experiments indicated that affinity and number of insulin and glucagon receptors were not significantly changed in the liver cells of diabetic rats. The basal cyclic AMP level was significantly lower in the diabetic hepatocytes (2.3 +/- 0.9 pmoles/10(6) cells) than in the controls (4.0 +/- 0.6 pmoles/10(6) cells). Cyclic AMP response to physiological concentrations of glucagon (0.1-1 nmoles/l) was about 2 times lower in the diabetic hepatocytes than in the controls. Furthermore, the basal liver membrane adenylate cyclase activity and the fluoride-activatable adenylate cyclase activity were about 2 times lower in the diabetics as compared to control rats, while the liver cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activities were unchanged. The ability of glucagon to stimulate liver membrane adenylate cyclase over a 10(-12)-10(-6) M concentration range was decreased in diabetic rats. Taken together, these data are consistent with the thesis that the impairment of the liver cyclic AMP response to glucagon in rats with type 2 diabetes is caused by a decrease in the amount of adenylate cyclase in the liver plasma membranes.