Direct action of insulin on plasma membrane ATPase activity in human lymphocytes

[3H]ouabain binding and sodium content in lymphocyte sub-populations and the demonstration of increased binding in type 2 diabetes mellitus

The number of specific [3H]ouabain binding sites in T-lymphocytes was determined and linear Scatchard plots were obtained. The number of sites was 30088 +/- 3039 (mean +/- SD) per lymphocyte in 14 healthy males and 33939 +/- 3185 in 11 males with type 2 diabetes (P less than 0.01). No difference between the dissociation constants were found (Kd = 3.91 and 3.86 mmol/l). The number of binding sites in lymphocytes from 15 healthy males with normal glucose tolerance but with a strong family history of type 2 diabetes did not differ from the controls. In T-lymphocytes a significantly higher number of specific ouabain binding sites was found than in non-T-lymphocytes (P less than 0.01). There was no difference between the dissociation constants. (Kd = 3.69 and 3.97 mmol/l). Intra-lymphocytic sodium was measured in 18 healthy individuals and the mean content was 8.1 +/- 2.3 mmol/kg lymphocytes. A lower content of sodium in T- compared to non-T-lymphocytes was also found (5.9 +/- 0.8 mmol/kg vs 15.5 +/- 0.8 mmol/kg, P less than 0.001). There was no correlation between lymphocytes and erythrocytes concerning [3H]ouabain binding sites or sodium concentration.

Concanavalin A increases spontaneous beat rate of embryonic chick heart cell aggregates

The plant lectin concanavalin A (Con A), at concentrations of 5-200 micrograms/ml, induced a twofold to fivefold increase in spontaneous beat rate of cultured aggregates of ventricular cells from seven-day chick embryos. This response was time, dose, and temperature dependent and was accompanied by a decrease in transmembrane potential. It could be blocked or reversed by alpha-methyl-D-mannoside but was not reversed by dilution alone. Binding of the lectin occurred in the cold, but a temperature-dependent process was also necessary to produce the response. Divalent (succinyl) Con A did not cause a beat rate increase. Whole heart aggregates responded similarly but less intensely than ventricular aggregates. Atrial aggregates, and whole heart aggregates treated with 5 microgram/ml of Con A, produced a biphasic chronotropic response, first decreasing then increasing their beat rates. These results suggest that saccharide-bearing macromolecules on the heart cell surface play a role in regulating spontaneous beat rate.

Stretch-induced growth of skeletal myotubes correlates with activation of the sodium pump

Skeletal myotubes responded to passive stretch by increased amino acid uptake (as measured with [3H]alpha-aminoisobutyric acid), increased incorporation of amino acids into total cellular protein and myosin heavy chains, and increased accumulation of total cellular protein and myosin heavy chains. These alterations were preceded by an increase in the uptake of ouabain-sensitive rubidium-86 (86Rb+), a potassium tracer used to measure membrane sodium pump activity (Na+K+ATPase). This stretch-induced stimulation of 86Rb+ uptake resulted from a 60-70% increase in the Vmax of the Na pump with little change in the Km. [3H] ouabain binding studies showed no stretch-induced change in the number of membrane Na pumps, indicating that stretch activates the Na pumps that are already present on the cell surface. Since the stretch-induced increases in amino acid transport and amino acid incorporation into proteins were inhibited by ouabain, Na pump activation may be involved in stretch-induced cell growth of skeletal muscle cells by hypertrophy.

Role of insulin in the intermediary metabolism of the activated thymic-derived lymphocyte

The hypothesis that a role for insulin in the metabolism of T cells would be evident after cell activation when receptors appear was tested to validate the T cell model and to analyze the mechanism by which insulin may function in immunoregulation. Measuring the flux rates of 3-O-[methyl-3H]-D-glucose and aminoisobutyric acid, alpha-[1-14C], lactate production and oxidation, and glucose oxidation from carbon 1- and carbon 6-labeled substrates, it was determined that (a) mitogens such as phytohemagglutinin enhance basal T lymphocyte intermediary metabolism, (b) physiologic concentrations of insulin have no impact on the metabolism of unstimulated, cultured, receptor-negative lymphocytes, and (c) insulin provided to receptor bearing lymphocytes augments intermediary metabolism above mitogen stimulated levels. The importance of the pentose phosphate shunt pathway for energy metabolism in the stimulated lymphocyte was confirmed. These studies demonstrate that insulin has a classical physiologic role to play in the activated lymphocyte further validating the use of this cell to examine potential receptor defects in disorders of carbohydrate metabolism. By enhancing energy metabolism of stimulated lymphocytes, insulin serves biologic economy and thus may perform its immunoregulatory role.

Insulin effect in vitro on human erythrocyte plasma membrane

The effect of porcine insulin has been tested in vitro on human erythrocyte plasma membrane (Na+-K+) and Mg2+-ATPase activities as well as on membrane fluidity. The results indicate that the hormonal treatment significantly inhibits (Na+-K+)-ATPase activity, and at the same time decreases membrane fluidity.

Membrane bound and cellular cationic changes associated with insulin stimulation of cultured cells

Insulin was employed as a stimulant in our continuing investigations of the molecular mechanisms involved in the coordinate control of cellular metabolism and growth. Incubation of chicken embryo fibroblasts for 16 hours in media containing 0-0.1 U insulin/ml resulted in a 17-fold increase in the rate of 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA. Concomitantly, there were graded increases in intracellular K+ (14%) AND Mg2+ (22%) and no significant change in Ca2+. These changes in cation content occurred within 10 to 30 minutes and preceded the changes in 3H-thymidine incorporation. Insulin produced a consistent graded decrease in externally bound Mg2+ and Ca2+ and a concomitant increase in bound Na+ and K+ with no significant change in the rates of K+ and Mg2+ efflux. The results are consistent with the concept of Mg2+ as a second messenger for insulin action, as well as with the more general hypothesis that Mg2+ is the centtral agent in the coordinate control of metabolism and growth in animal cells.

Insulin effects on monovalent cation transport and Na-K-ATPase activity

The effects of insulin on monovalent cation transport and on Na-K-ATPase activity from intact cells, tissue homogenates, and purified enzyme of the avian salt gland were studied. Monovalent cation active transport, measured by ouabain-inhibitable 86Rb+ uptake, was significantly increased (21.9 +/- 7.3% SE) in tissue slices exposed to insulin (100 mU/ml) for 15 min. A small but significant (12.2 +/- 1.9%) increase in Na-K-ATPase activity was similarly observed after salt gland tissue slices were exposed to insulin. This increase in enzymatic activity did not occur when broken-cell homogenates were exposed to insulin. Purified preparations of Na-K-ATPase showed no insulin enhancement of activity either in the presence of optimal or less than fully activating Na+ and ATP concentrations. Na-K-ATPase activity was the same in detergent-activated homogenates of both control and insulin-treated slices, consistent with insulin activation of existing enzyme sites. These data support the hypothesis that at least part of the increase in monovalent cation active transport produced by insulin is related to enhanced Na-K-ATPase activity and indicate that the latter phenomenon is dependent on some components or properties of the intact cell.

Demonstration of components of serum-free culture medium effecting maximum in vitro expression of mouse mammary tumor virus

By using a chemically defined serum-free (SF) medium for propagation of Mm5mtc1 mouse adenocarcinoma cell cultures and clonal derivatives, medium components including hormones, glucose and individual amino acids were evaluated as to modulation of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) porduction. Insulin, hydrocortisone and dexamethasone each increased MMTV production on a per cell basis over constitutive expression that occurs in SF medium devoid of hormones. Maximum production occurred when all three hormones were present. Hormone-stimulated virus expression also was influenced by glucose concentration. Cell growth and maximum MMTV expression increased when thyroxine, asparagine, proline and serine were omitted from the medium formulation. The resulting modified SF medium provides and ideal system for the propagation of high MMTV-producer clones and for the study of the biochemical regulation of MMTV expression.

Biphasic effects of insulin and ouabain on fluid transport across rabbit corneal endothelium

1. Low levels of insuling stimulate transendothelial fluid transport from preswollen stroma to aqueous in rabbit corneal preparations. The rate of stromal thinning at the end of the first hour averages 30% faster with insulin, 3.5 x 10(-22) M (4.8 micromicron/ml.), than that of the paired control. This concentration is about the physiological level in rabbit aqueous. 2. The stimulation with insulin is transient. Rates of thinning average higher but not significantly different from control rates by the second hour. 3. High levels of insulin between 3.5 x 10(-9) M (480 micromicron/ml.) and 2.0 x 10(-6) M (2.75 X 10(5) micromicron/ml.) inhibit fluid transport. The inhibition at the low end of this range of concentrations becomes more pronounced with longer perfusion times but appears not to exceed ca. 50% of the control rate. 4. Ouabain also induces a biphasic effect on fluid transport which is characteristically different from that with insulin. The maximal stimulation observed at all times occurred with a fixed concentration of 10(-10) M. The stimulation is not transient but increases throughout the duration of the perfusion; the average rate is elevated 50% above the control rate by the third hour. 5. The transition from a stimulatory to an inhibitory effect occurs consistently at ca. 10(-8) M with ouabain, while a similar transition with insulin occurs at ca. 10(-9) M and appears to shift towards slightly higher concentrations during a 3 hr perfusion period. 6. Inhibition of fluid transport with ouabain, 3 x 10(-7) M, is increased from ca. 50% after 1 hr to more than 70% at the end of the third hour of perfusion. 7. The combined presence of stimulatory concentrations of ouabain and insulin affects tromal thinning in a manner resembling the effect of ouabain alone more than that of insulin; additive effects could not be discriminated. Progressively raising the concentration of insulin to a level (10(-8) M) that alone inhibits stromal thinning, ultimately abolishes the stimulatory effect of ouabain. Based on other evidence and current models of drug/hormone-membrane interaction, these results can be interpreted to indicate a concentration-dependent interaction between receptor complexes of ouabain and insulin with (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.

Insulin, S-sulphonate A and S-sulphonate B-chain receptor binding to human cultured lymphocytes

The ability of insulin and the S-sulphonate A and B-chain derivatives to bind to a receptor on cultured human lymphocytes was evaluated. A receptor site for the S-sulphonate A-chain was identified and was strongly influenced by the intact insulin molecule. S-sulphonate A-chain weakly interfered with insulin binding. S-sulphonate B-chain showed no evidence of significant binding and did not interfere with insulin or S-sulphonate A chain binding. 14CO2 production from 14C-1-glucose was stimulated by insulin in cultured lymphocytes and this effect was blunted by S-sulphonate A-chain. The sulphhydryl blocking agent used in the production of insulin A-chain appears to be of critical importance.

Studies on plasma membranes. XXIII. Hormone-like action of concanavalin A on liver plasma membranes: inhibition of (Na+-K+)ATPase

Concanavalin A inhibits the (Na+-K+)-ATPase activity of isolated rat-liver plasma membranes, while leaving the Mg2+-ATPase unaffected. Glucagon and cyclic AMP act supplementary to the lectin in the inhibition. The lectin effect is counteracted by insulin and L-epinephrine, and is completely abolished by the beta-adrenergic blocking agent propranolol. Results are discussed on the basis of the known interactions of concanavalin A with plasma membrane components, including its hormone-like action.

Norepinephrine stimulation of lymphocyte ATPase by an alpha adrenergic receptor mechanism

The effects of norepinephrine in interaction with adrenergic blocking compounds were studied on membrane adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities of human lymphocytes and lymphoblasts. Sodium-potassium ion exchange pump activity was assayed by 86-Rb uptake and ATPase activity of membrane fractions was assayed by ADP and inorganic phosphate generation. The results of these studies indicate that norepinephrine acts by an alpha adrenergic mechanism to enhance membrane sodium-potassium ion exchange pump activity and ATPase activity. The pharmacologic and ionic dissection of the adrenergic sensitivity of ATPase activity indicates that this alpha adrenergic mechanism is related to membrane ATPase activities in addition to that associated with the ion exchange pump. Analysis of fractions obtained by sucrose gradients indicates that the action of norepinephrine is localized in the plasma membrane. Beta adrenergic stimulation was observed to inhibit ATPase activity. The complexity of adrenergic effects on membrane ATPase suggests interactions of hormone modulation of membrane nucleotide cyclases and transport-related ATPase enzymes.

Increased adenosine triphosphatase in leukocytes of asthmatic children

Adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities were compared in leukocytes of asthmatic and nonasthmatic children. Both Mg(2+)- and Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase activities were significantly elevated in two membrane fractions (59 to 66%) and in a superntant fraction (68 to 72%) prepared from sonicated leukocytes of asthmatic subjects. Intact cell surface or ecto ATPase was also elevated (67 to 76%) in asthmatic leukocytes. Alternate day glucocorticosteroid therapy was associated with leukocyte ATPase activities intermediate between those for asthmatics not receiving steroids and for nonasthmatic control subjects. Incubation of normal leukocytes with 10(-8) M hydrocortisone or leukocyte membranes with 10(-4)-10(-3) M hydrocortisone in vitro also resulted in decreased ATPase activities. The elevated leukocyte ATPase activities appear to relate to the adrenergic imbalance in asthma previously characterized by reduced beta adrenergic responsiveness of adenylate cyclase and suggest the possibility of more than one enzymatic abnormality intrinsic to the asthmatic condition.

Insulin receptors in human circulating cells and fibroblasts

Human lymphocytes obtained from fasted adult subjects and cultured human tumor lymphocytes were investigated for specific insulin receptors. By use of monoiodoinsulin, specific insulin binding sites were demonstrated in peripheral human lymphocytes, cultured human lymphocytes, and in other types of human circulating cells. Insulins and insulin derivatives that varied in their potency to stimulate glucose oxidation in the fat cell and to inhibit binding of [(125)I]insulin to purified plasma membranes, varied in an analogous fashion in their ability to inhibit the binding of labeled insulin to human lymphocytes. Hormones that had no effect on the binding of insulin to fat cells or liver membranes also had no effect on the binding of insulin to lymphocytes. Binding was time and temperature dependent; dissociation of [(125)I]insulin was rapid upon addition of 10 muM insulin. These findings afford a direct approach to the study of endocrine disorders in man.