Properties of a human insulin receptor with a COOH-terminal truncation. II. Truncated receptors have normal kinase activity but are defective in signaling metabolic effects

Novel method demonstrates differential ligand activation and phosphatase-mediated deactivation of insulin receptor tyrosine-specific phosphorylation

Insulin receptor signaling is a complex cascade leading to a multitude of intracellular functional responses. Three natural ligands, insulin, IGF1 and IGF2, are each capable of binding with different affinities to the insulin receptor, and result in variable biological responses. However, it is likely these affinity differences alone cannot completely explain the myriad of diverse cellular outcomes. Ligand binding initiates activation of a signaling cascade resulting in phosphorylation of the IR itself and other intracellular proteins. The direct catalytic activity along with the temporally coordinated assembly of signaling proteins is critical for insulin receptor signaling. We hypothesized that determining differential phosphorylation among individual tyrosine sites activated by ligand binding or dephosphorylation by phosphatases could provide valuable insight into insulin receptor signaling. Here, we present a sensitive, novel immunoassay adapted from Meso Scale Discovery technology to quantitatively measure changes in site-specific phosphorylation levels on endogenous insulin receptors from HuH7 cells. We identified insulin receptor phosphorylation patterns generated upon differential ligand activation and phosphatase-mediated deactivation. The data demonstrate that insulin, IGF1 and IGF2 elicit different insulin receptor phosphorylation kinetics and potencies that translate to downstream signaling. Furthermore, we show that insulin receptor deactivation, regulated by tyrosine phosphatases, occurs distinctively across specific tyrosine residues. In summary, we present a novel, quantitative and high-throughput assay that has uncovered differential ligand activation and site-specific deactivation of the insulin receptor. These results may help elucidate some of the insulin signaling mechanisms, discriminate ligand activity and contribute to a better understanding of insulin receptor signaling. We propose this methodology as a powerful approach to characterize agonists and antagonists of the insulin receptor and can be adapted to serve as a platform to evaluate ligands of alternate receptor systems.

Differential pathway coupling of the activated insulin receptor drives signaling selectivity by XMetA, an allosteric partial agonist antibody

The monoclonal antibody XMetA is an allosteric partial agonist of the insulin receptor (IR), which activates the metabolic Akt kinase signaling pathway while having little or no effect on the mitogenic extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. To investigate the nature of this selective signaling, we have conducted a detailed investigation of XMetA to evaluate specific phosphorylation and activation of IR, Akt, and ERK in Chinese hamster ovary cell lines expressing either the short or long isoform of the human IR. Insulin activated both pathways, but the phosphorylation of Akt was more sensitive to the hormone than the phosphorylation of ERK. Maximally effective concentrations of XMetA elicited phosphorylation patterns similar to 40-100 pM insulin, which were sufficient for robust Akt phosphorylation, but had little effect on ERK phosphorylation. These data indicate that the preferential signaling of XMetA is due to an innate difference in pathway sensitivity of Akt versus ERK responses to IR activation and partial agonism by XMetA, rather than a separate pathway-biased mechanism. The metabolic selectivity of partial IR agonists like XMetA, if recapitulated in vivo, may be a desirable feature of therapeutic agents designed to regulate blood glucose levels while minimizing undesirable outcomes of excessive IR mitogenic activation.

Insulin receptor isoforms and insulin receptor/insulin-like growth factor receptor hybrids in physiology and disease

In mammals, the insulin receptor (IR) gene has acquired an additional exon, exon 11. This exon may be skipped in a developmental and tissue-specific manner. The IR, therefore, occurs in two isoforms (exon 11 minus IR-A and exon 11 plus IR-B). The most relevant functional difference between these two isoforms is the high affinity of IR-A for IGF-II. IR-A is predominantly expressed during prenatal life. It enhances the effects of IGF-II during embryogenesis and fetal development. It is also significantly expressed in adult tissues, especially in the brain. Conversely, IR-B is predominantly expressed in adult, well-differentiated tissues, including the liver, where it enhances the metabolic effects of insulin. Dysregulation of IR splicing in insulin target tissues may occur in patients with insulin resistance; however, its role in type 2 diabetes is unclear. IR-A is often aberrantly expressed in cancer cells, thus increasing their responsiveness to IGF-II and to insulin and explaining the cancer-promoting effect of hyperinsulinemia observed in obese and type 2 diabetic patients. Aberrant IR-A expression may favor cancer resistance to both conventional and targeted therapies by a variety of mechanisms. Finally, IR isoforms form heterodimers, IR-A/IR-B, and hybrid IR/IGF-IR receptors (HR-A and HR-B). The functional characteristics of such hybrid receptors and their role in physiology, in diabetes, and in malignant cells are not yet fully understood. These receptors seem to enhance cell responsiveness to IGFs.

Molecular mechanisms of differential intracellular signaling from the insulin receptor

Binding of insulin to the insulin receptor (IR) leads to a cascade of intracellular signaling events, which regulate multiple biological processes such as glucose and lipid metabolism, gene expression, protein synthesis, and cell growth, division, and survival. However, the exact mechanism of how the insulin-IR interaction produces its own specific pattern of regulated cellular functions is not yet fully understood. Insulin analogs, anti-IR antibodies as well as synthetic insulin mimetic peptides that target the two insulin-binding regions of the IR, have been used to study the relationship between different aspects of receptor binding and function as well as providing new insights into the structure and function of the IR. This review focuses on the current knowledge of activation of the IR and how activation of the IR by different ligands initiates different cellular responses. Investigation of differential activation of the IR may provide clues to the molecular mechanisms of how the insulin-receptor interaction controls the specificity of the downstream signaling response. Differences in the kinetics of ligand-interaction with the IR, the magnitude of the signal as well as its subcelllar location all play important roles in determining/eliciting the different biological responses. Additional studies are nevertheless required to dissect the precise molecular mechanisms leading to the differential signaling from the IR.

Oxygen Tension Regulates the Stability of Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 (IRS-1) through Caspase-mediated Cleavage

The insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptors mediate signaling for energy uptake and growth through insulin receptor substrates (IRSs), which interact with these receptors as well as with downstream effectors. Oxygen is essential not only for ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation but also for many cellular processes, particularly those involved in energy homeostasis. The oxygen tension in vivo is significantly lower than that in the air and can vary widely depending on the tissue as well as on perfusion and oxygen consumption. How oxygen tension affects IRSs and their functions is poorly understood. Our findings indicate that transient hypoxia (1% oxygen) leads to caspase-mediated cleavage of IRS-1 without inducing cell death. The IRS-1 protein level rebounds rapidly upon return to normoxia. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) appear to be important for the IRS-1 cleavage because tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor was decreased in hypoxia and IRS-1 cleavage could be blocked either with H(2)O(2) or with vanadate, each of which inhibits PTPs. Activity of Akt, a downstream effector of insulin and IGF-1 signaling that is known to suppress caspase activation, was suppressed in hypoxia. Overexpression of dominant-negative Akt led to IRS-1 cleavage even in normoxia, and overexpression of constitutively active Akt partially suppressed IRS-1 cleavage in hypoxia, suggesting that hypoxia-mediated suppression of Akt may induce caspase-mediated IRS-1 cleavage. In conclusion, our study elucidates a mechanism by which insulin and IGF-1 signaling can be matched to the oxygen level that is available to support growth and energy metabolism.

Tyrosine phosphorylation of phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 by the insulin receptor is necessary for insulin metabolic signaling

In L6 myoblasts, insulin receptors with deletion of the C-terminal 43 amino acids (IR(Delta43)) exhibited normal autophosphorylation and IRS-1/2 tyrosine phosphorylation. The L6 cells expressing IR(Delta43) (L6(IRDelta43)) also showed no insulin effect on glucose uptake and glycogen synthase, accompanied by a >80% decrease in insulin induction of 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK-1) activity and tyrosine phosphorylation and of protein kinase B (PKB) phosphorylation at Thr(308). Insulin induced the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-dependent coprecipitation of PDK-1 with wild-type IR (IR(WT)), but not IR(Delta43). Based on overlay blotting, PDK-1 directly bound IR(WT), but not IR(Delta43). Insulin-activated IR(WT), and not IR(Delta43), phosphorylated PDK-1 at tyrosines 9, 373, and 376. The IR C-terminal 43-amino-acid peptide (C-terminal peptide) inhibited in vitro PDK-1 tyrosine phosphorylation by the IR. Tyr-->Phe substitution prevented this inhibitory action. In the L6(hIR) cells, the C-terminal peptide coprecipitated with PDK-1 in an insulin-stimulated fashion. This peptide simultaneously impaired the insulin effect on PDK-1 coprecipitation with IR(WT), on PDK-1 tyrosine phosphorylation, on PKB phosphorylation at Thr(308), and on glucose uptake. Upon insulin exposure, PDK-1 membrane persistence was significantly reduced in L6(IRDelta43) compared to control cells. In L6 cells expressing IR(WT), the C-terminal peptide also impaired insulin-dependent PDK-1 membrane persistence. Thus, PDK-1 directly binds to the insulin receptor, followed by PDK-1 activation and insulin metabolic effects.

Autophosphorylation of the two C-terminal tyrosine residues Tyr1316 and Tyr1322 modulates the activity of the insulin receptor kinase in vitro

Previously, several studies have demonstrated that autophosphorylation of the C-terminal tyrosine residues (Tyr1316 and Tyr1322) affects the signaling properties of the insulin receptor in vivo. To assess the biochemical consequences of the C-terminal phosphorylation in vitro, we have constructed, purified and characterized 45 kDa soluble insulin receptor kinase domains (IRKD), either with (IRKD) or without (IRKD-Y2F) the two C-terminal tyrosine phosphorylation sites, respectively. According to HPLC phosphopeptide mapping, autophosphorylation of the three tyrosines in the activation loop of the IRKD-Y2F kinase (Tyr1146, Tyr1150, and Tyr1151) was not affected by the mutation. In addition, the Y2F mutation did not significantly change the Km values for exogenous substrates. However, the mutation in IRKD-Y2F resulted in a decrease in the maximum velocities of the phosphotransferase reaction in substrate phosphorylation reactions. Moreover, the exchange of the tyrosines in IRKD-Y2F led to an increase in the apparent Km values for ATP, suggesting a cross-talk of the C-terminus and the catalytic domain of the enzyme. In addition, as judged by size exclusion chromatography, conformational changes of the enzyme following autophosphorylation were abolished by the removal of the two C-terminal tyrosines. These data suggest a regulatory role of the two C-terminal phosphorylation sites in the phosphotransferase activity of the insulin receptor.

The differential effects of pp120 (Ceacam 1) on the mitogenic action of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 are regulated by the nonconserved tyrosine 1316 in the insulin receptor

pp120 (Ceacam 1) undergoes ligand-stimulated phosphorylation by the insulin receptor, but not by the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R). This differential phosphorylation is regulated by the C terminus of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor, the least conserved domain of the two receptors. In the present studies, deletion and site-directed mutagenesis in stably transfected hepatocytes derived from insulin receptor knockout mice (IR(-/-)) revealed that Tyr(1316), which is replaced by the nonphosphorylatable phenylalanine in IGF-1R, regulated the differential phosphorylation of pp120 by the insulin receptor. Similarly, the nonconserved Tyr(1316) residue also regulated the differential effect of pp120 on IGF-1 and insulin mitogenesis, with pp120 downregulating the growth-promoting action of insulin, but not that of IGF-1. Thus, it appears that pp120 phosphorylation by the insulin receptor is required and sufficient to mediate its downregulatory effect on the mitogenic action of insulin. Furthermore, the current studies revealed that the C terminus of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor contains elements that suppress the mitogenic action of insulin. Because IR(-/-) hepatocytes are derived from liver, an insulin-targeted tissue, our observations have finally resolved the controversy about the role of the least-conserved domain of insulin and IGF-1Rs in mediating the difference in the mitogenic action of their ligands, with IGF-1 being more mitogenic than insulin.

Identification of three novel mutations in the insulin receptor gene in type A insulin resistant patients

Type A insulin resistance syndrome is characterized by the association of ovarian hyperandrogenism, acanthosis nigricans, and severe insulin resistance. We have identified three novel mutant alleles of the insulin receptor gene in 3 patients with type A syndrome, a severe form of insulin resistance. Two of the patients were sisters (A1, A2), 1 of them was a compound heterozygote for a mutation at the 3'-splice acceptor site of intron 21 (AG-->AA), and a missense mutation Val140Leu in exon 2. Her sister was a simple heterozygote for the 3'-splice acceptor mutation. The third patient (A3) was heterozygous for the missense mutation Ala1028Val in exon 17, in the consensus sequence for ATP binding.

Differences in signaling properties of the cytoplasmic domains of the insulin receptor and insulin-like growth factor receptor in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) elicit distinct but overlapping biological effects in vivo. To investigate whether differences in intrinsic signaling capacity of receptors contribute to biological specificity, we constructed chimeric receptors containing the extracellular portion of the neurotrophin receptor TrkC fused to the intracellular portion of the insulin or IGF-I receptors. Chimeras were stably expressed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes at levels comparable to endogenous insulin receptors and were efficiently activated by neurotrophin-3. The wild-type insulin receptor chimera mediated approximately 2-fold greater phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), association of IRS-1 with phosphoinositide 3-kinase, stimulation of glucose uptake, and GLUT4 translocation, compared with the IGF-I receptor chimera. In contrast, the IGF-I receptor chimera mediated more effective Shc phosphorylation, association of Shc with Grb2, and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase compared with the insulin receptor chimera. The two receptors elicited similar activation of protein kinase B, p70S6 kinase, and glycogen synthesis. We conclude that the insulin receptor mediates some aspects of metabolic signaling in adipocytes more effectively than the IGF-I receptor, as a consequence of more efficient phosphorylation of IRS-1 and greater recruitment/activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase.

Rac-dependent anti-apoptotic signaling by the insulin receptor cytoplasmic domain

Mutations in the cytoplasmic domain of the insulin receptor that block the ability of the receptor to stimulate glucose uptake do not block the receptor's ability to inhibit apoptosis (Boehm, J. E., Chaika, O. V., and Lewis, R. E. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 7169-7176). To characterize this survival pathway we used a chimeric receptor (CSF1R/IR) consisting of the ligand-binding domain of the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor spliced to the cytoplasmic domain of the insulin receptor and a mutated version of the chimeric receptor containing a 12-amino acid deletion of the juxtamembrane domain (CSF1R/IRDelta960). In addition to the inhibition of apoptosis, activation of either the CSF1R/IR or the CSF1R/IRDelta960 rapidly induced membrane ruffling in Rat1 fibroblasts. The small GTPase Rac mediates membrane ruffling. Activated and dominant-inhibitory mutants of Rac and other small GTPases were expressed in Rat1 fibroblasts to examine a potential link between the intracellular pathways that induce membrane ruffling and promote cell survival. The anti-apoptotic action of the CSF1R/IRDelta960 was reversed by dominant-inhibitory Rac(N17), but not by Ras(N17) or Cdc42(N17). Activated Rac(V12), but not Ras(D12) or Cdc42(V12), promoted cell survival in the absence of insulin. These data implicate Rac as a mediator of an unique anti-apoptotic signaling pathway activated by the insulin receptor cytoplasmic domain.

Mutation of tyrosine 960 within the insulin receptor juxtamembrane domain impairs glucose transport but does not inhibit ligand-mediated phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-2 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

CSF-1 is equipotent to insulin in its ability to stimulate 2-[3H]deoxyglucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes expressing the colony stimulating factor-1 receptor/insulin receptor chimera (CSF1R/IR). However, CSF-1-stimulated glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis is reduced by 50% in comparison to insulin in 3T3-L1 cells expressing a CSF1R/IR mutated at Tyr960 (CSF1R/IRA960). CSF-1-treated adipocytes expressing the CSF1R/IRA960 were impaired in their ability to phosphorylate insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) but not in their ability to phosphorylate IRS-2. Immunoprecipitation of IRS proteins followed by Western blotting revealed that the intact CSF1R/IR co-precipitates with IRS-2 from CSF-1-treated cells. In contrast, the CSF1R/IRA960 co-precipitates poorly with IRS-2. These observations suggest that Tyr960 is important for interaction of the insulin receptor cytoplasmic domain with IRS-2, but it is not essential to the ability of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase to use IRS-2 as a substrate. These observations also suggest that in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-2 by the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase is not sufficient for maximal stimulation of receptor-regulated glucose transport or glycogen synthesis.

Differential role of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 and IRS-2 in L6 skeletal muscle cells expressing the Arg1152 --> Gln insulin receptor

In L6 muscle cells expressing the Arg1152 --> Gln insulin receptor (Mut), basal tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 was increased by 35% compared with wild-type cells (WT). Upon exposure to insulin, IRS-1 phosphorylation increased by 12-fold in both the Mut and WT cells. IRS-2 was constitutively phosphorylated in Mut cells and not further phosphorylated by insulin. The maximal phosphorylation of IRS-2 in basal Mut cells was paralleled by a 4-fold increased binding of the kinase regulatory loop binding domain of IRS-2 to the Arg1152 --> Gln receptor. Grb2 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase association to IRS-1 and IRS-2 reflected the phosphorylation levels of the two IRSs. Mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and [3H]thymidine incorporation closely correlated with IRS-1 phosphorylation in Mut and WT cells, while glycogen synthesis and synthase activity correlated with IRS-2 phosphorylation. The Arg1152 --> Gln mutant did not signal Shc phosphorylation or Shc-Grb2 association in intact L6 cells, while binding Shc in a yeast two-hybrid system and phosphorylating Shc in vitro. Thus, IRS-2 appears to mediate insulin regulation of glucose storage in Mut cells, while insulin-stimulated mitogenesis correlates with the activation of the IRS-1/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in these cells. IRS-1 and Shc-mediated mitogenesis may be redundant in muscle cells.

Early biochemical events in insulin-stimulated fluid phase endocytosis

We examined the initial molecular mechanisms by which cells nonselectively internalize extracellular solutes in response to insulin. Insulin-stimulated fluid phase endocytosis (FPE) was examined in responsive cells, and the roles of the insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI 3'-kinase), Ras, and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) were assessed. Active insulin receptors were essential, as demonstrated by the stimulation of FPE by insulin in HIRc-B cells (Rat-1 cells expressing 1.2 x 10(6) normal insulin receptors/cell) but not in untransfected Rat-1 cells or in Rat-1 cells expressing the inactive A/K1018 receptor. IRS-1 expression augmented insulin-stimulated FPE, as assessed in 32D cells, a hematopoietic precursor cell line lacking endogenous IRS-1. Insulin-stimulated FPE was inhibited in mouse brown adipose tissue (BAT) cells expressing the 17N dominant negative mutant Ras and was augmented in cells expressing wild-type Ras. The MEK inhibitor PD-98059 had little effect on insulin-stimulated FPE in BAT cells. In 32D cells, but not in HIRc-B and BAT cells, insulin-stimulated FPE was inhibited by 10 nM wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI 3'-kinase. The results indicate that the insulin receptor, IRS-1, Ras, and, perhaps in certain cell types, PI 3'-kinase are involved in mediating insulin-stimulated FPE.

Anti-apoptotic signaling by a colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor/insulin receptor chimera with a juxtamembrane deletion

The intracellular mechanisms used by insulin and insulin-like growth factors to block programmed cell death are unknown. To identify receptor structures and signaling pathways essential for anti-apoptotic effects on cells, we have created a chimeric receptor (colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor/insulin receptor chimera (CSF1R/IR)) connecting the extracellular, ligand-binding domain of the colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) receptor to the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of the insulin receptor. Upon activation with CSF-1, the CSF1R/IR phosphorylates itself and intracellular substrates in a manner characteristic of normal insulin receptors. CSF-1 treatment protected cells expressing the CSF1R/IR from staurosporine-induced apoptosis. A chimeric receptor (CSF1R/IRDelta960) with a deletion of 12 amino acids from its juxtamembrane domain was constructed and expressed. CSF-1-treated cells expressing the CSF1R/IRDelta960 are unable to phosphorylate IRS-1 and Shc (Chaika, O. V., Chaika, N., Volle, D. J., Wilden, P. A. , Pirrucello, S. J., and Lewis, R. E. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 11968-11974). CSF-1 stimulated glucose uptake, mitogen-activated protein kinases, and IRS-1-associated phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase in cells expressing the CSF1R/IR but not in cells expressing the CSF1R/IRDelta960. Surprisingly, the CSF1R/IRDelta960 was as effective as the CSF1R/IR in mediating CSF-1 protection of cells from staurosporine-induced apoptosis. These observations indicate that the anti-apoptotic effects of the insulin receptor cytoplasmic domain can be mediated by signaling pathways distinct from those requiring IRS-1 and Shc.

The carboxyl-terminal domain of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor interacts with the insulin receptor and activates its protein tyrosine kinase

Receptors for insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IR and IGFIR) consisting of the alpha2beta2 structure are protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs). Carboxyl-terminal (CT) domains of their beta subunits are structurally diverse while the PTK domains share the highest homology. Interactions between CT and PTK domains of IR and IGFIR were studied by means of PTK activity, fluorescence energy transfer or surface plasmon resonance using BIAcore. We present evidence that IGFIR CT directly interacts with both IGFIR and IR. Although binding to both receptors, stimulation of PTK activity only occurs with IR but not IGFIR.

CSF-1 receptor/insulin receptor chimera permits CSF-1-dependent differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes

A chimeric growth factor receptor (CSF1R/IR) was constructed by splicing cDNA sequences encoding the extracellular ligand binding domain of the human colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) receptor to sequences encoding the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of the human insulin receptor. The addition of CSF-1 to cells transfected with the CSF1R/IR chimera cDNA stimulated the tyrosine phosphorylation of a protein that was immunoprecipitated by an antibody directed against the carboxyl terminus of the insulin receptor. Phosphopeptide maps of the 32P-labeled CSF1R/IR protein revealed the same pattern of phosphorylation observed in 32P-labeled insulin receptor beta subunits. CSF-1 stimulated the tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and Shc in cells expressing the CSF1R/IR chimera. Lipid accumulation and the expression of a differentiation-specific marker demonstrated that 3T3-L1 preadipocytes undergo CSF-1-dependent differentiation when transfected with the CSF1R/IR chimera cDNA but not when transfected with the expression vector alone. A 12-amino acid deletion within the juxtamembrane region of the CSF1R/IR (CSF1R/IRDelta960) blocked CSF-1-stimulated phosphorylation of IRS-1 and Shc but did not inhibit CSF-1-mediated differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. These observations indicate that adipocyte differentiation can be initiated by intracellular pathways that do not require tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 or Shc.

14-3-3 (epsilon) interacts with the insulin-like growth factor I receptor and insulin receptor substrate I in a phosphoserine-dependent manner

The 14-3-3 proteins have been implicated as potential regulators of diverse signaling pathways. Here, using two-hybrid assays and in vitro assays of protein interaction, we show that the epsilon isoform of 14-3-3 interacts with the insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGFIR) and with insulin receptor substrate I (IRS-1), but not with the insulin receptor (IR). Coprecipitation studies demonstrated an IGFI-dependent in vitro interaction between 14-3-3-glutathione S-transferase proteins and the IGFIR. In similar studies no interaction of 14-3-3 with the IR was observed. We present evidence to suggest that 14-3-3 interacts with phosphoserine residues within the COOH terminus of the IGFIR. Specifically, peptide competition studies combined with mutational analysis suggested that the 14-3-3 interaction was dependent upon phosphorylation of IGFIR serine residues 1272 and/or 1283, a region which has been implicated in IGFIR-dependent transformation. Phosphorylation of these serines appears to be dependent upon prior IGFIR activation since no interaction of 14-3-3 was observed with a kinase-inactive IGFIR in the two-hybrid assay nor was any in vitro interaction with unstimulated IGFIR derived from mammalian cells. We show that the interaction of 14-3-3 with IRS-1 also appears to be phosphoserine-dependent. Interestingly, 14-3-3 appears to interact with IRS-1 before and after hormonal stimulation. In summary, our data suggest that 14-3-3 interacts with phosphoserine residues within the COOH terminus of the IGFIR and within the central domain of IRS-1. The potential functional roles which 14-3-3 may play in IGFIR and IRS-1-mediated signaling remain to be elucidated.

Interaction of MAD2 with the carboxyl terminus of the insulin receptor but not with the IGFIR. Evidence for release from the insulin receptor after activation

We have utilized the yeast two-hybrid system to identify proteins that interact with the cytoplasmic domain of the insulin receptor (IR). We identified a human cDNA encoding a protein that appears to be the human homolog of the yeast MAD2 protein, which we term hMAD2. The yeast MAD2 protein was first identified in a genetic screen to identify cell cycle checkpoint regulatory proteins, yet the mechanism by which MAD2 functions in cell cycle control is currently unclear. Here we show that hMAD2 requires the COOH-terminal 30 amino acids of the IR for interaction and that hMAD2 does not interact with the related insulin-like growth factor I receptor. Interestingly, hMAD2 does not require IR tyrosine autophosphorylation for interaction because it interacts with a kinase-dead IR in the yeast two-hybrid system. In support of this finding, hMAD2-GST fusions were found to interact strongly in vitro with receptors derived from noninsulin-stimulated cells. Furthermore, using two independent in vitro assays, IR activation was found to significantly reduce the interaction of hMAD2 with the IR. Lastly, we show that hMAD2 can be coimmunoprecipitated with the IR from Chinese hamster ovary IR cell lysates, suggesting that this interaction occurs in vivo in cells of mammalian origin. Our results suggest that hMAD2 represents a novel class of proteins that is specific for interaction with the IR as compared with the insulin-like growth factor I receptor and that interacts best with the inactive IR and is released upon receptor autophosphorylation. The function of hMAD2 and its potential role in insulin signaling remain to be elucidated.

Human GRB-IRbeta/GRB10. Splice variants of an insulin and growth factor receptor-binding protein with PH and SH2 domains

cDNA clones encoding human (h) Grb7 and a previously unknown protein with high homology to hGrb-IR and mGrb10 (where m indicates mouse) were found by screening expressed sequence tag data bases. hGrb7 mRNA expression is greatest in pancreas and restricted to a few other tissues. The second protein termed hGrb-IRbeta/Grb10 contains an intact PH domain and lacks the 80-residue mGrb10 insertion. Expression is greatest in pancreas and muscle but occurs in nearly all tissues. hGrb-IRbeta/Grb10 and hGrb-IR likely arise as alternative mRNA splicing products of a common gene. Reverse transcriptase-coupled polymerase chain reaction shows both mRNAs in muscle. In cells, Grb-IRbeta/Grb10 protein translocates from cytosol to membrane upon insulin stimulation, most likely due to direct interactions with the insulin receptor. These interactions are mediated by the SH2 domain and additional regions of the protein. Studies with mutated receptors and synthetic phosphopeptides show that the hGrb-IRbeta/Grb10 SH2 domain binds at least two sites in the insulin receptor: the kinase activation loop > the juxtamembrane site. hGrb-IRbeta/Grb10 also binds a 135-kDa phosphoprotein in unstimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes; binding is reduced upon insulin stimulation. In addition, the c-Abl SH3 domain binds Grb-IR/Grb10, whereas Fyn, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase p85, and Grb2 SH3 domains do not. The site of c-Abl SH3 domain interaction is highly conserved within the Grb-IR/Grb10/Grb7/Grb14 family. hGrb-IRbeta/Grb10 also binds platelet-derived growth factor and epidermal growth factor receptors, suggesting a broader role in the signaling pathways of numerous receptors. We conclude that hGrb-IRbeta/Grb10 is a widely expressed, PH and SH2 domain-containing, SH3 domain-binding protein that functions downstream from activated insulin and growth factor receptors.

The avian IGF type 1 receptor: cDNA analysis and in situ hybridization reveal conserved sequence elements and expression patterns relevant for the development of the nervous system

Insulin-like growth factor type 1 receptor (IGF-1R) is a tyrosine kinase with a key role in development. The primary structure of IGF-1R is known for mammalian species, but not for birds. The avian embryo, however, provides an ideal system for the experimental study of neurogenesis. We therefore cloned the complete coding sequence of the chicken IGF-1R from a cDNA library and analyzed its embryonic expression by Northern blot and in situ hybridization. The deduced chicken IGF-1R precursor of 1363 amino acids was 85% identical to human IGF-1R and did not show deletions or insertions in critical positions, when compared to its mammalian homologues. Notably, all cysteine residues in the extracellular domains, and 15 of the 17 N-linked glycosylation sites found in human IGF-1R were also present in the chicken receptor. An 11 kb transcript was abundant in developing nervous tissues, kidney, pancreas and the gastrointestinal tract. The early in situ expression patterns in 20-somite embryos revealed high levels of IGF-1R mRNA in the neuroepithelia, notochord and somites. At embryonic day 4 (E4), high concentrations of IGF-1R transcripts were found again primarily in the neuroepithelia and, to a lesser degree, in the sensory ganglia and diverse mesenchymal derivatives. During the second half of embryonic development, IGF-1R expression in the CNS was particularly abundant in telencephalic regions, including the olfactory bulb, hippocampus, striatum and piriform cortex, and also in the optic tectum and cerebellum. By the use of cDNA cloning and in situ hybridization this study reveals conserved amino acid sequence elements between birds and mammals, and developmental expression patterns that are compatible with an important role of this receptor in growth, differentiation and maturation of the avian CNS.

Interaction between the insulin receptor and its downstream effectors. Use of individually expressed receptor domains for structure/function analysis

A structural analysis has been carried out to determine which part of the intracellular domain of the insulin receptor (IR) beta subunit is involved in direct interaction with the receptor substrates IRS-1 and Shc. Toward this end, the juxtamembrane (JM) domain (amino acids 943-984) and the carboxyl-terminal (CT) region (amino acids 1245-1 331) of IR were expressed in bacteria as (His)6-fusion peptides, and their interaction with IRS-1 and Shc was studied. We could demonstrate that the CT region of IR was sufficient to bind Shc, although significant, but much lower binding of Shc to the JM region could be detected as well. Furthermore, in vitro Tyr phosphorylation of the CT region potentiated its interactions with Shc 2-fold. In contrast, the JM region, but not the CT domain of the IR, was sufficient to mediate interactions between the IR and IRS-1. These interactions did not involve the pleckstrin homology (PH) region of IRS-1, since an IRS-1 mutant, in which four "blocks" of the PH domain (Pro5-Pro65) were deleted, interacted with the JM region of IR with the same efficiency as native IRS-1. These results suggest that the IR interacts with its downstream effectors through distinct receptor regions, and that autophosphorylation of Tyr residues located at the CT domain of the IR can modulate these interactions.

Mutant insulin receptors in syndromes of insulin resistance

To date, mutations of the insulin receptor remain the only well-established causes of severe insulin resistance. There is a broad correlation between the extent of impairment of signal transduction seen when the mutant receptors are expressed in vitro with the severity of the clinical phenotype. Thus leprechaunism, Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome and Type A insulin resistance appear to represent points on a continuum of severity of receptor dysfunction, rather than completely distinct syndromes. In other syndromes of insulin resistance, insulin receptor abnormalities remain the exception. However, functional studies of expressed naturally occurring insulin receptor mutations have acted as experiments of nature and greatly aided attempts to dissect the structure-function relationships of the receptor. The next few years will no doubt begin to reveal the contributions made by defects in the post-receptor signalling cascade to the syndromes of insulin resistance in man.

Insulin-induced activation of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase. Insulin-induced phosphorylation of insulin receptors and insulin receptor substrate-1 displaces phosphorylated platelet-derived growth factor receptors from binding sites on PI 3-kinase

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase is an enzyme that functions in the signaling pathways downstream from multiple cell surface receptors. The p85 regulatory subunit of PI 3-kinase binds to phosphotyrosine residues of various phosphoproteins including the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor, the insulin receptor, and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1). Using NIH-3T3 cells overexpressing the human insulin receptor, we demonstrate that the p85 regulatory subunit of PI 3-kinase binds to phosphorylated PDGF receptor in cells incubated in the absence of insulin. When insulin is added, p85 is released from phosphorylated PDGF receptors and binds to phosphorylated insulin receptors and insulin receptor substrate-1. Moreover, insulin-induced dissociation of PDGF receptors from binding sites on PI 3-kinase requires a functional insulin receptor and is not prevented by vanadate treatment. In contrast, insulin activation does not displace PDGF receptors from binding sites on Ras GTPase-activating protein. This competition for binding to PI 3-kinase provides a mechanism for cross-talk among signaling pathways initiated by distinct peptide hormones and growth factors such as insulin and PDGF.

Heterogeneous responses to an intravenous glucose load

The aim of this study was to determine how the insulin sensitive enzymes pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex and glycogen synthase (GS) of different tissues respond to an endogenous pulse of insulin elicited by an intravenous infusion of glucose. An infusion of glucose (0.5 g/kg) into conscious, unrestrained animals via an indwelling cannula rapidly elevated plasma insulin concentration (to approx. 600 microU/ml after 10 min). The animals were sacrificed at selected time points after the commencement of infusion. Samples of heart, red quadriceps muscle, white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) were excised and assayed for PDH complex and GS activities. The glucose infusion elicited a rapid (< 5-10 min) increase in both PDH complex and GS activities in heart, BAT and WAT. The maximum rise in the activity of PDH and GS above basal were (respectively) 2- and 8-fold for heart, 5.5- and 5-fold for BAT, and 3.5- and 4-fold for WAT. The return of PDH complex activity to basal values was also very rapid (occurring over the next 20 min). The glucose infusion also stimulated GS activity in red quadriceps muscle but was, however without effect on PDH complex activity in this tissue. We conclude that although insulin stimulates PDH and GS with the same time course and magnitude in many insulin sensitive tissues, the time course and magnitude of insulin stimulation of these enzymes can vary between tissues. These results may mean that the stimulation of PDH complex and GS by insulin occurs via different receptor-effector pathways.

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.

Insulin stimulates the tyrosine dephosphorylation of pp125 focal adhesion kinase

The phosphorylation state of pp125 focal adhesion kinase in response to insulin was examined in parental and transfected Rat-1 fibroblasts expressing both wild-type (HIRc cells) and mutant human insulin receptor cDNAs lacking the C-terminal twin tyrosine phosphorylation sites (YF2 cells) or a deletion mutant lacking the distal 43 amino acids of the beta-subunit (delta CT cells). In HIRc cells insulin stimulated the tyrosine dephosphorylation of pp125fak, whereas IGF-I did not. In contrast, the tyrosine phosphorylation state of pp125fak was unchanged in the parental Rat-1 fibroblasts and the YF2 or delta CT mutant cell lines in response to insulin. Analysis of the supernatants revealed that pp125fak was only one component of the major M(r), 120-130-kDa phosphotyrosine band seen in HIRc cells. We conclude that: 1) in contrast to other growth factors, insulin stimulates the dephosphorylation of pp125fak; 2) the presence of the insulin receptor C-terminal tyrosines 1328 and 1334 is required for the insulin-stimulated tyrosine dephosphorylation of pp125fak, suggesting a possible SH2 domain-dependent interaction; 3) insulin may modulate integrin-mediated signaling through pp125fak by altering the phosphorylation state of pp125fak.

Deletion of 343 amino acids from the carboxyl terminus of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor inhibits insulin signaling

Naturally occurring mutations in the insulin receptor gene that impair the receptor tyrosine kinase activity cause insulin resistance in vivo in a dominant fashion. Previously, two unrelated families have been described that express an insulin receptor with a truncation due to a premature chain termination at codon 1000 (delta 1000), thereby deleting 343 amino acids from the carboxyl terminus of the beta-subunit. While clinical findings suggest that the truncated receptor does not mediate insulin action in vivo, a recent study suggested that a similarly truncated receptor enhanced insulin sensitivity in transfected cells by augmenting the signaling by endogenous receptors [Sasaoka, T., Takata, Y., Kusari, J., Anderson, C. M., Langlois, W. J., & Olefsky, J. M. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 4379-4383]. To investigate these paradoxical data, we studied the structure and function of delta 1000 truncated insulin receptors when expressed in NIH-3T3 cells. We found that, despite the deletion of most of the tyrosine kinase domain and all of the C-terminal domain of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor, the delta 1000 mutant receptors were processed normally and were transported to the plasma membrane where they bind insulin with high affinity. Following ligand addition, the truncated receptors are degraded with a normal half-life. However, they fail to undergo insulin-stimulated internalization, do not regulate the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1, and are unable to mediate an insulin-stimulated increase in DNA synthesis and c-jun and c-fos expression.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dynamic regulation of intact and C-terminal truncated insulin receptor phosphorylation in permeabilized cells

Using digitonin-permeabilized Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells that were transfected with intact human insulin receptors (CHO/HIRc cells), we examined insulin receptor phosphorylation and dephosphorylation using pulse-chase techniques. Insulin activated receptor autophosphorylation on tyrosyl residues to a level severalfold over basal, reaching maximal levels after 2, 5, and 10 min of stimulation at 34, 18, and 6 degrees C, respectively. Phosphopeptide analysis revealed that the triply phosphorylated form of the 1146-kinase domain of the insulin receptor was the major species, which is characteristic of the fully active tyrosine kinase function. The dephosphorylation reaction was time- and temperature-dependent with t1/2 values of 0.67 and 2 min at 18 and 6 degrees C, respectively. Vanadate completely inhibited dephosphorylation. Under similar permeabilization conditions when compared with CHO/HIRc cells, CHO/delta CT cells (CHO cells overexpressing a mutated form of the receptor with a 43 amino acid deletion at the C-terminus) stimulated with insulin exhibited larger increases in receptor autophosphorylation levels and in tyrosine kinase activity toward a synthetic peptide substrate; the rate of CHO/delta CT receptor dephosphorylation was not reduced. There was near-complete absence of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) in the cell ghosts after permeabilization. We therefore examined the pattern of tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of residual cellular proteins in permeabilized CHO/HIRc cells by Western blot analysis. In addition to the 95-kDa receptor beta-subunit, we detected the phosphorylation of two glycoproteins which included the commonly found 120-kDa protein and a novel 195-kDa protein whose dephosphorylation rate is slower than that of receptor beta-subunit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Oncogenes, Protein Tyrosine Kinases, and Signal Transduction

Many oncogenes encode protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs). Oncogenic mutations of these genes invariably result in constitutive activation of these PTKs. Autophosphorylation of the PTKs and tyrosine phosphorylation of their cellular substrates are essential events for transmission of the mitogenic signal into cells. The recent discovery of the characteristic amino acid sequences, of the src homology domains 2 and 3 (SH2 and SH3), and extensive studies on proteins containing the SH2 and SH3 domains have revealed that protein tyrosine-phosphorylation of PTKs provides phosphotyrosine sites for SH2 binding and allows extracellular signals to be relayed into the nucleus through a chain of protein-protein interactions mediated by the SH2 and SH3 domains. Studies on oncogenes, PTKs and SH2/SH3-containing proteins have made a tremendous contribution to our understanding of the mechanisms for the control of cell growth, oncogenesis, and signal transduction. This review is intended to provide an outline of the most recent progress in the study of signal transduction by PTKs. Copyright 1994 S. Karger AG, Basel

The insulin receptor: structure, function, and signaling

The insulin receptor is a member of the ligand-activated receptor and tyrosine kinase family of transmembrane signaling proteins that collectively are fundamentally important regulators of cell differentiation, growth, and metabolism. The insulin receptor has a number of unique physiological and biochemical properties that distinguish it from other members of this large well-studied receptor family. The main physiological role of the insulin receptor appears to be metabolic regulation, whereas all other receptor tyrosine kinases are engaged in regulating cell growth and/or differentiation. Receptor tyrosine kinases are allosterically regulated by their cognate ligands and function as dimers. In all cases but the insulin receptor (and 2 closely related receptors), these dimers are noncovalent, but insulin receptors are covalently maintained as functional dimers by disulfide bonds. The initial response to the ligand is receptor autophosphorylation for all receptor tyrosine kinases. In most cases, this results in receptor association of effector molecules that have unique recognition domains for phosphotyrosine residues and whose binding to these results in a biological response. For the insulin receptor, this does not occur; rather, it phosphorylates a large substrate protein that, in turn, engages effector molecules. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed in this review. The chemistry of insulin is very well characterized because of possible therapeutic interventions in diabetes using insulin derivatives. This has allowed the synthesis of many insulin derivatives, and we review our recent exploitation of one such derivative to understand the biochemistry of the interaction of this ligand with the receptor and to dissect the complicated steps of ligand-induced insulin receptor autophosphorylation. We note possible future directions in the study of the insulin receptor and its intracellular signaling pathway(s).

Deletion of C-terminal 113 amino acids impairs processing and internalization of human insulin receptor: comparison of receptors expressed in CHO and NIH-3T3 cells

We have studied the structure and the function of a truncated human insulin receptor in which 113 amino acids (aa 1231-1343) at the C-terminus of the beta-subunit were deleted. In this study, wild-type and truncated insulin receptors were expressed by stable transfection in NIH-3T3 cells and CHO cells. The mutation impairs post-translational processing of the insulin receptor; proteolytic cleavage is retarded, and degradation of the truncated receptor is accelerated. Furthermore, insulin-stimulated autophosphorylation of the mutant insulin receptor is impaired. This is associated with a defect in insulin-stimulated endocytosis. Finally, in NIH-3T3 cells, the mutant insulin receptor failed to mediate the mitogenic effects of insulin. In CHO cells, transfection of insulin receptor cDNA (either wild-type or mutant) did not alter mitogenic response to insulin. It has previously been shown that deletion of 43 amino acids at the C-terminus of the beta-subunit did not affect insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity. Our data suggest that the structural domain located 43-113 amino acids from the C-terminus appears to have several functional roles. First, the domain appears to promote folding of receptor into the optimal conformation for post-translational processing. Second, the presence of this domain appears to promote the stability of the receptor beta-subunit in intact cells. Finally, perhaps as a consequence of the effects upon the stability of the receptor, this domain is required in intact cells for insulin-stimulated autophosphorylation and signal transmission.

Co-expression of mutant and normal human insulin receptors in COS 7 cells

In order to assess the interference of the mutant insulin proreceptor on normal receptor function and formation of proreceptor-receptor heterotrimers (alpha beta-proreceptor), COS 7 cells were transfected with the same amount of expression plasmid (pGEM3SV) containing wild-type, a mutant proreceptor cDNA and both, using the DEAE-dextran method. Scatchard analysis of insulin binding data revealed that there was an approx. 50-fold higher receptor concentration in the transfected cells than in untransfected cells. After 0.025% trypsin treatment, insulin binding to the cells expressed with wild-type, proreceptor and both increased by 1-fold, 2.9-fold and 1.5-fold of the untreated cells, respectively. In the presence of 167 nM insulin, the amounts of phosphate incorporated into the 95 kDa protein beta-subunits and 210 kDa proreceptors from co-transfected cells, were identical to those of an in vitro mixture of the wild-type and the mutant receptors. At 10 nM insulin, the proreceptors from co-transfected cells normally autophosphorylated by insulin stimulation, whereas those mixed in vitro did not (73.3 +/- 9.3 vs. 29.6 +/- 2.6% of the maximal effect, n = 4, P < 0.01). However, at a similar concentration of insulin, the phosphate incorporation into Glu-80/Tyr-20 polymers by receptors from co-transfected cells was decreased when compared with a in vitro mixture (9.0 +/- 2.6 vs. 22.5 +/- 6.7% of the maximal effect at 4 nM, n = 6, P < 0.01), although the basal and maximally stimulated phosphate incorporation were comparable among these groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Distinctive effects of the carboxyl-terminal sequence of the insulin-like growth factor I receptor on its signaling functions

We have shown previously that the extracellular sequences of the human insulin receptor (IR) and the insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGFR) have an inhibitory effect on protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity and on the biological functions of their respective Gag-receptor fusion proteins. To study the role of IGFR carboxyl sequence in modulation of the Gag-IGFR PTK and biological activities, five mutants, CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, and CM5, containing carboxyl deletions of 17, 27, 47, 67, and 88 amino acids (aa), respectively, were constructed from the parental virus UIGFR encoding the Gag-IGFR. Deletion of up to 27 aa had little effect on the cell-transforming and PTK activities of UIGFR. Deletions of 47 aa in CM3 abolished PTK and transforming activities. Surprisingly, a further deletion of 20 aa in CM4 beyond that in CM3 reactivated the kinase and transforming activities. CM5, containing a deletion of 20 aa beyond that in CM4, had only marginal transforming and PTK activities. We conclude that deletion of the carboxyl region of the Gag-IGFR inactivates, instead of activating as in the case with Gag-IR, its transforming activity and the amino acid sequence 1250 to 1310 is essential for PTK and transforming activities. Analysis of the ability of the full-length IGFR and its mutant receptors described above to associate with phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase indicated that the association required PTK activity and tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptors and correlated well with their transforming activities. The carboxyl 88 aa are not essential for the association.

Autophosphorylation: a salient feature of protein kinases

Most protein kinases catalyze autophosphorylation, a process which is generally intramolecular and is modulated by regulatory ligands. Either serine/threonine or tyrosine serves as the phosphoacceptor, and several sites on the same kinase subunit are usually autophosphorylated. Autophosphorylation affects the functional properties of most protein kinases. Members of the protein kinase family exhibit diversity in the characteristics and functions of autophosphorylation, but certain common themes are emerging.

The insulin receptor C-terminus is involved in regulation of the receptor kinase activity

During the insulin receptor activation process, ligand binding and autophosphorylation induce two distinct conformational changes in the C-terminal domain of the receptor beta-subunit. To analyze the role of this domain and the involvement of the C-terminal autophosphorylation sites (Tyr1316 and Tyr1322) in receptor activation, we used (i) antipeptide antibodies against three different C-terminal sequences (1270-1281, 1294-1317, and 1309-1326) and (ii) an insulin receptor mutant (Y/F2) where Tyr1316 and Tyr1322 have been replaced by Phe. We show that the autophosphorylation-induced C-terminal conformational change is preserved in the Y/F2 receptor, indicating that this change is not induced by phosphorylation of the C-terminal sites but most likely by phosphorylation of the major sites in the kinase domain (Tyr1146, Tyr1150, and Tyr1151). Binding of antipeptide antibodies to the C-terminal domain modulated (activated or inhibited) both mutant and wild-type receptor-mediated phosphorylation of poly(Glu/Tyr). In contrast to the wild-type receptor, Y/F2 exhibited the same C-terminal configuration before and after insulin binding, evidencing that mutation of Tyr1316 and Tyr1322 introduced conformational changes in the C-terminus. Finally, the mutant receptor was 2-fold more active than the wild-type receptor for poly(Glu/Tyr) phosphorylation. In conclusion, the whole C-terminal region of the insulin receptor beta-subunit is likely to exert a regulatory influence on the receptor kinase activity. Perturbations of the C-terminal region, such as binding of antipeptides or mutation of Tyr1316 and Tyr1322, provoke alterations at the receptor kinase level, leading to activation or inhibition of the enzymic activity.

Molecular dynamics of insulin/IGF-I receptor transmembrane signaling

To examine the molecular basis of ligand-stimulated intramolecular beta-subunit autophosphorylation, hybrid receptors composed of wild-type and mutant insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) half-receptor precursors were characterized. Previous studies have demonstrated that assembly of the IGF-I wild-type half-receptor (alpha beta WT) with a kinase-defective half-receptor (alpha beta A/K) produced a substrate kinase-inactive holoreceptor in vitro [Treadway et al. (1991): Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:214-218]. To extend these studies, the vaccinia virus/bacteriophage T7 expression system was used to generate various hybrid receptor complexes in cultured cells. As was observed for hybrid receptors assembled in vitro, the wild-type/mutant hybrid receptors formed in situ were also incapable of phosphorylating several peptide substrates. However, ligand-stimulated beta-subunit autophosphorylation was still observed. To determine the molecular basis for this discrepancy, hybrid receptors were assembled from a truncated beta-subunit insulin half-receptor (alpha beta delta 43) and a kinase-defective half-receptor (alpha beta A/K). Under these conditions, insulin-stimulated autophosphorylation primarily occurred on the full-length kinase-inactive beta-subunit (alpha beta A/K) without significant labeling of the kinase-active truncated beta-subunit (alpha beta delta 43). A similar IGF-I hybrid receptor species was characterized, and the same pattern of autophosphorylation was observed in response to IGF-I. These data demonstrate that both insulin and IGF-I stimulate an intramolecular trans-autophosphorylation reaction between two adjacent beta-subunits within the holoreceptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Activation and inhibition of insulin receptor autophosphorylation by trypsin treatment of intact H35 cells

1. Treatment of intact cultured H35 cells with trypsin (1 mg/ml) for 15 min at low temperature (4 degrees C) or for 30 sec at 37 degrees C causes activation of the insulin receptor subsequently isolated from the cells. 2. Receptor activation was assessed by increased phosphotyrosine content of the beta-subunit of the receptor, and increased autophosphorylation using [32P]-ATP. 3. Treatment of the cells for 15 min at 37 degrees C however completely abolished insulin binding and all insulin receptor kinase activity. 4. These data demonstrate that proteolytic damage of the extracellular domain of the insulin receptor can render the receptor kinase inactive and lead to a cell which is unresponsive to insulin.