Cellular binding and uptake of fluorescent glucose analogs 2-NBDG and 6-NBDG occurs independent of membrane glucose transporters

The classical methods for determining glucose uptake rates in living cells involve the use of isotopically labeled 2-deoxy-d-glucose or 3-O-methyl-d-glucose, which enter cells via well-characterized membrane transporters of the SLC2A and SLC5A families, respectively. These classical methods, however, are increasingly being displaced by high-throughput assays that utilize fluorescent analogs of glucose. Among the most commonly used of these analogs are 2-NBDG and 6-NBDG, which contain a bulky 7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl-amino moiety in place of a hydroxy group on d-glucose. This fluorescent group significantly alters both the size and shape of these molecules compared to glucose, calling into question whether they actually enter cells by the same transport mechanisms. In this study, we took advantage of the well-defined glucose uptake mechanism of L929 murine fibroblasts, which rely exclusively on the Glut1/Slc2a1 membrane transporter. We demonstrate that neither pharmacologic inhibition of Glut1 nor genetic manipulation of its expression has a significant impact on the binding or uptake of 2-NBDG or 6-NBDG by L929 cells, though both approaches significantly impact [³H]-2-deoxyglucose uptake rates. Together these data indicate that 2-NBDG and 6-NBDG can bind and enter mammalian cells by transporter-independent mechanisms, which calls into question their utility as an accurate proxy for glucose transport.

NMS-873 functions as a dual inhibitor of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation

Small-molecule inhibitors of enzyme function are critical tools for the study of cell biological processes and for treatment of human disease. Identifying inhibitors with suitable specificity and selectivity for single enzymes, however, remains a challenge. In this study we describe our serendipitous discovery that NMS-873, a compound that was previously identified as a highly selective allosteric inhibitor of the ATPase valosin-containing protein (VCP/p97), rapidly induces aerobic fermentation in cultured human and mouse cells. Our further investigation uncovered an unexpected off-target effect of NMS-873 on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, specifically as a dual inhibitor of Complex I and ATP synthase. This work points to the need for caution regarding the interpretation of cell survival data associated with NMS-873 treatment and indicates that cellular toxicity associated with its use may be caused by both VCP/p97-dependent and VCP/p97-independent mechanisms.

GLUT1 is associated with sphingolipid-organized, cholesterol-independent domains in L929 mouse fibroblast cells

Glucose is a preferred metabolite in most mammalian cells, and proper regulation of uptake is critical for organism homeostasis. The glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) is responsible for glucose uptake in a wide variety of cells and appears to be regulated in a tissue specific manner. Therefore, a better understanding of GLUT1 regulation within its various cellular environments is essential for developing therapeutic strategies to treat disorders associated with glucose homeostasis. Previous findings suggest that plasma membrane subdomains called lipid rafts may play a role in regulation of GLUT1 uptake activity. While studying this phenomenon in L929 mouse fibroblast cells, we observed that GLUT1 associates with a low density lipid microdomain distinct from traditionally-defined lipid rafts. These structures are not altered by cholesterol removal with methyl-β-cyclodextrin and lack resistance to cold Triton X-100 extraction. Our data indicate that the GLUT1-containing membrane microdomains in L929 cells, as well as GLUT1's basal activity, are instead sphingolipid-dependent, being sensitive to both myriocin and sphingomyelinase treatment. These microdomains appear to be organized primarily by their lipid composition, as disruption of the actin cytoskeleton or microtubules does not alter the association of GLUT1 with them. Furthermore, the association of GLUT1 with these microdomains appears not to require palmitoylation or glycosylation, as pharmacologic inhibition of these processes had no impact on GLUT1 density in membrane fractions. Importantly, we find no evidence that GLUT1 is actively translocated into or out of low density membrane fractions in response to acute activation in L929 cell.

Caffeine inhibition of GLUT1 is dependent on the activation state of the transporter

Caffeine has been shown to be a robust uncompetitive inhibitor of glucose uptake in erythrocytes. It preferentially binds to the nucleotide-binding site on GLUT1 in its tetrameric form and mimics the inhibitory action of ATP. Here we demonstrate that caffeine is also a dose-dependent, uncompetitive inhibitor of 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) uptake in L929 fibroblasts. The inhibitory effect on 2DG uptake in these cells was reversible with a rapid onset and was additive to the competitive inhibitory effects of glucose itself, confirming that caffeine does not interfere with glucose binding. We also report for the first time that caffeine inhibition was additive to inhibition by curcumin, suggesting distinct binding sites for curcumin and caffeine. In contrast, caffeine inhibition was not additive to that of cytochalasin B, consistent with previous data that reported that these two inhibitors have overlapping binding sites. More importantly, we show that the magnitude of maximal caffeine inhibition in L929 cells is much lower than in erythrocytes (35% compared to 90%). Two epithelial cell lines, HCLE and HK2, have both higher concentrations of GLUT1 and increased basal 2DG uptake (3-4 fold) compared to L929 cells, and subsequently display greater maximal inhibition by caffeine (66-70%). Interestingly, activation of 2DG uptake (3-fold) in L929 cells by glucose deprivation shifted the responsiveness of these cells to caffeine inhibition (35%-70%) without a change in total GLUT1 concentration. These data indicate that the inhibition of caffeine is dependent on the activity state of GLUT1, not merely on the concentration.

Curcumin directly inhibits the transport activity of GLUT1

Curcumin, a major ingredient in turmeric, has a long history of medicinal applications in a wide array of maladies including treatment for diabetes and cancer. Seemingly counterintuitive to the documented hypoglycemic effects of curcumin, however, a recent report indicates that curcumin directly inhibits glucose uptake in adipocytes. The major glucose transporter in adipocytes is GLUT4. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of curcumin in cell lines where the major transporter is GLUT1. We report that curcumin has an immediate inhibitory effect on basal glucose uptake in L929 fibroblast cells with a maximum inhibition of 80% achieved at 75 μM curcumin. Curcumin also blocks activation of glucose uptake by azide, glucose deprivation, hydroxylamine, or phenylarsine oxide. Inhibition does not increase with exposure time and the inhibitory effects reverse within an hour. Inhibition does not appear to involve a reaction between curcumin and the thiol side chain of a cysteine residue since neither prior treatment of cells with iodoacetamide nor curcumin with cysteine alters curcumin's inhibitory effects. Curcumin is a mixed inhibitor reducing the Vmax of 2DG transport by about half with little effect on the Km. The inhibitory effects of curcumin are not additive to the effects of cytochalasin B and 75 μM curcumin actually reduces specific cytochalasin B binding by 80%. Taken together, the data suggest that curcumin binds directly to GLUT1 at a site that overlaps with the cytochalasin B binding site and thereby inhibits glucose transport. A direct inhibition of GLUT proteins in intestinal epithelial cells would likely reduce absorption of dietary glucose and contribute to a hypoglycemic effect of curcumin. Also, inhibition of GLUT1 activity might compromise cancer cells that overexpress GLUT1 and be another possible mechanism for the documented anticancer effects of curcumin.

Osthole activates glucose uptake but blocks full activation in L929 fibroblast cells, and inhibits uptake in HCLE cells

AIMS

Osthole, a coumarin derivative, has been used in Chinese medicine and studies have suggested a potential use in treatment of diabetes and cancers. Therefore, we investigated the effects of osthole and other coumarins on GLUT1 activity in two cell lines that exclusively express GLUT1.

MAIN METHODS

We measured the magnitude and time frame of the effects of osthole and related coumarins on glucose uptake in two cells lines; L929 fibroblast cells which have low GLUT1 expression levels and low basal glucose uptake and HCLE cells which have high GLUT1 concentrations and high basal uptake. We also explored the effects of these coumarins in combination with other GLUT1 activators.

KEY FINDINGS

Osthole activates glucose uptake in L929 cells with a modest maximum 1.7-fold activation achieved by 50 μM with both activation and recovery occurring within minutes. However, osthole blocks full acute activation of glucose uptake by other, more robust activators. This behavior mimics the effects of other thiol reactive compounds and suggests that osthole is interacting with cysteine residues, possibly within GLUT1 itself. Coumarin, 7-hydroxycoumarin, and 7-methoxycoumarin, do not affect glucose uptake, which is consistent with the notion that the isoprenoid structure in osthole may be important to gain membrane access to GLUT1. In contrast to its effects in L929 cells, osthole inhibits basal glucose uptake in the more active HCLE cells.

SIGNIFICANCE

The differential effects of osthole in L929 and HCLE cells indicated that regulation of GLUT1 varies, likely depending on its membrane concentration.

Alkaline pH activates the transport activity of GLUT1 in L929 fibroblast cells

The widely expressed mammalian glucose transporter, GLUT1, can be acutely activated in L929 fibroblast cells by a variety of conditions, including glucose deprivation, or treatment with various respiration inhibitors. Known thiol reactive compounds including phenylarsine oxide and nitroxyl are the fastest acting stimulators of glucose uptake, implicating cysteine biochemistry as critical to the acute activation of GLUT1. In this study, we report that in L929 cells glucose uptake increases 6-fold as the pH of the uptake solution is increased from 6 to 9 with the half-maximal activation at pH 7.5; consistent with the pKa of cysteine residues. This pH effect is essentially blocked by the pretreatment of the cells with either iodoacetamide or cinnamaldehyde, compounds that form covalent adducts with reduced cysteine residues. In addition, the activation by alkaline pH is not additive at pH 8 with known thiol reactive activators such as phenylarsine oxide or hydroxylamine. Kinetic analysis in L929 cells at pH 7 and 8 indicate that alkaline conditions both increases the Vmax and decreases the Km of transport. This is consistent with the observation that pH activation is additive to methylene blue, which activates uptake by increasing the Vmax, as well as to berberine, which activates uptake by decreasing the Km. This suggests that cysteine biochemistry is utilized in both methylene blue and berberine activation of glucose uptake. In contrast a pH increase from 7 to 8 in HCLE cells does not further activate glucose uptake. HCLE cells have a 25-fold higher basal glucose uptake rate than L929 cells and the lack of a pH effect suggests that the cysteine biochemistry has already occurred in HCLE cells. The data are consistent with pH having a complex mechanism of action, but one likely mediated by cysteine biochemistry.

Hydroxylamine acutely activates glucose uptake in L929 fibroblast cells

Nitroxyl (HNO) has a unique, but varied, set of biological properties including beneficial effects on cardiac contractility and stimulation of glucose uptake by GLUT1. These biological effects are largely initiated by HNO's reaction with cysteine residues of key proteins. The intracellular production of HNO has not yet been demonstrated, but the small molecule, hydroxylamine (HA), has been suggested as possible intracellular source. We examined the effects of this molecule on glucose uptake in L929 fibroblast cells. HA activates glucose uptake from 2 to 5-fold within two minutes. Prior treatment with thiol-active compounds, such as iodoacetamide (IA), cinnamaldehyde (CA), or phenylarsine oxide (PAO) blocks HA-activation of glucose uptake. Incubation of HA with the peroxidase inhibitor, sodium azide, also blocks the stimulatory effects of HA. This suggests that HA is oxidized to HNO by L929 fibroblast cells, which then reacts with cysteine residues to exert its stimulatory effects. The data suggest that GLUT1 is acutely activated in L929 cells by modification of cysteine residues, possibly the formation of a disulfide bond within GLUT1 itself.

Nitroxyl (HNO) acutely activates the glucose uptake activity of GLUT1

Nitroxyl (HNO) is a molecule of significant interest due to its unique pharmacological properties, particularly within the cardiovascular system. A large portion of HNO biological effects can be attributed to its reactivity with protein thiols, where it can generate disulfide bonds. Evidence from studies in erythrocytes suggests that the activity of GLUT1 is enhanced by the formation of an internal disulfide bond. However, there are no reports that document the effects of HNO on glucose uptake. Therefore, we examined the acute effects of Angeli's salt (AS), a HNO donor, on glucose uptake activity of GLUT1 in L929 fibroblast cells. We report that AS stimulates glucose uptake with a maximum effective concentration of 5.0 mM. An initial 7.2-fold increase occurs within 2 min, which decreases and plateaus to a 4.0-fold activation after 10 min. About 60% of the 4.0-fold activation recovers within 10 min, and 40% remains after an hour. The activation is blocked by the pretreatment of cells with thiol-reactive compounds, iodoacetamide (0.75 mM), cinnamaldehyde (2.0 mM), and phenylarsine oxide (10 μM). The effects of AS are not additive to the stimulatory effects of other acute activators of glucose uptake in L929 cells, such as azide (5 mM), berberine (50 μM), or glucose deprivation. These data suggest that GLUT1 is acutely activated in L929 cells by the formation of a disulfide bond, likely within GLUT1 itself.

Effects of cinnamaldehyde on the glucose transport activity of GLUT1

There is accumulating evidence that cinnamon extracts contain components that enhance insulin action. However, little is know about the effects of cinnamon on non-insulin stimulated glucose uptake. Therefore, the effects of cinnamaldehyde on the glucose transport activity of GLUT1 in L929 fibroblast cells were examined under both basal conditions and conditions where glucose uptake is activated by glucose deprivation. The data reveal that cinnamaldehyde has a dual action on the glucose transport activity of GLUT1. Under basal conditions it stimulates glucose uptake and reaches a 3.5 fold maximum stimulation at 2.0mM. However, cinnamaldehyde also inhibits the activation of glucose uptake by glucose deprivation in a dose dependent manner. Experiments with cinnamaldehyde analogs reveal that these activities are dependent on the α,β-unsaturated aldehyde structural motif in cinnamaldehyde. The inhibitory, but not the stimulatory activity of cinnamaldehyde was maintained after a wash-recovery period. Pretreatment of cinnamaldehyde with thiol-containing compounds, such as β-mercaptoethanol or cysteine, blocked the inhibitory activity of cinnamaldehyde. These results suggest that cinnamaldehyde inhibits the activation of GLUT1 by forming a covalent link to target cysteine residue/s. This dual activity of cinnamaldehyde on the transport activity of GLUT1 suggests that cinnamaldehyde is not a major contributor to the anti-diabetic properties of cinnamon.

Dual action of phenylarsine oxide on the glucose transport activity of GLUT1

An early event in the toxic effects of organic arsenic compounds, such as phenylarsine oxide (PAO), is an inhibition of glucose uptake. Glucose uptake involving the glucose transporter, GLUT4 is inhibited by PAO indicating an importance of vicinal sulfhydryls in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. However, the data on effects of PAO on GLUT1 are conflicting. This study investigated the effects of PAO on glucose uptake in L929 fibroblast cells, cells, which express only GLUT1. The data presented here reveal a dual effect of PAO. At low concentrations or short exposure times PAO stimulated glucose uptake reaching a peak activation of about 400% at 3 microM. At higher concentrations (40 microM), PAO clearly inhibited glucose uptake. At intermediate concentrations (10 microM), PAO had no effect under basal conditions but completely inhibited activation of glucose uptake by glucose deprivation and partially inhibited methylene blue-stimulated glucose uptake. PAO increased the specific binding of cytochalasin B to GLUT1 suggesting a direct interaction with the transporter. These data are most consistent with PAO interacting with multiple proteins that regulate the activity of this transporter, one of which may be GLUT1 itself. The identity of these proteins will require further investigation.

Acute activation of glucose uptake by glucose deprivation in L929 fibroblast cells

Glucose is a very important energy source for a wide variety of cells, and the ability of cells to respond to changes in glucose availability or other cell stresses is of critical importance. Many mammalian cells respond to acute stress by increasing the V(max) of transport through GLUT1; the most ubiquitously expressed glucose transporter isoform. This study investigated the acute response of glucose uptake to glucose deprivation in L929 fibroblast cells--a cell line that expresses only the GLUT1 transporter. Results indicated that glucose deprivation of only a minute activated glucose uptake 10-fold and reached a maximum of 20-fold within 10 min. The activation was dose dependent and only partially muted by addition of up to 20mM pyruvate as an alternate energy source. In contrast to the kinetics of acute metabolic stress, glucose deprivation decreased the K(m) of transport, but did not alter the V(max). Maximal activation of glucose transport by glucose deprivation was completely additive to activation of transport by methylene blue--a stimulant that increased the V(max) of transport without a change in the K(m). Glucose-deprived activation of glucose transport was not inhibited by wortmannin or herbimycin A, but was completely inhibited by phenylarsine oxide. Altogether, the data indicate that L929 fibroblast cells respond quickly and robustly to the cell stress of glucose deprivation and methylene blue treatment by two distinct activation pathways.

Methylene blue stimulates 2-deoxyglucose uptake in L929 fibroblast cells

Methylene blue (MB), a common cell stain, has been shown to inhibit nitric oxide synthase and guanylate cyclase, which has led to the recent use of MB in nitric oxide signaling studies. This study documents the effects of MB on 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) uptake in L929 fibroblast cells where uptake is controlled by a single glucose transporter, GLUT 1. MB significantly activates cytochalasin B-inhibitable glucose transport in a dose dependent fashion within 10 min. A maximal stimulation of up to 800% was achieved by 50 microM MB after a 45-min exposure. The Vmax of transport increased without a change in the Km, which was accomplished without a significant change in the GLUT 1 content. The reduced form of MB, did not stimulate 2DG uptake and potassium ferricyanide, an extracellular redox agent, prevented both the staining and stimulatory effects of MB suggesting MB is reduced at the cell surface before it enters L929 cells. Phenylarsine oxide did not block cell staining as noted in other cells lines, but it did inhibit both basal and MB-stimulated 2DG uptake. Likewise, methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, an agent used to remove membrane cholesterol, blocked both the staining and stimulatory effects of MB. The AMP analog, AICAR, inhibited rather than activated basal 2DG uptake, and it did not alter MB-stimulated uptake suggesting that AMP kinase activation is not critical to the MB effect. Wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI kinase, had no effect on MB-stimulated 2DG uptake. These data provide additional insight into the acute regulation of GLUT 1 transport activity in L929 cells.

Acute effects of troglitazone and nitric oxide on glucose uptake in L929 fibroblast cells

The thiazolidinedione class of antidiabetic drugs, including troglitazone, has an insulin-sensitizing effect for patients with type 2 diabetes. However, in some tissues, studies have shown that troglitazone also has an acute insulin-independent effect on glucose uptake. To determine the extent of this acute action of troglitazone, the effect of troglitazone on 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) uptake in L929 fibroblast cells was measured. Troglitazone stimulated 2DG uptake in a dose dependent manner with a maximum stimulation of >300% at 5-10 microM. In addition, nitric oxide has been shown to stimulate glucose uptake in peripheral muscle tissue. Therefore, the effect of nitric oxide on 2DG uptake in L929 cells was also investigated using the nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP). SNP stimulated 2DG uptake by >200% with a maximally effective concentration of 5 mM. The combined effect of maximally effective concentrations of both stimulants (10 microM troglitazone + 5 mM SNP) was not additive suggesting a shared pathway for 2DG uptake. However, the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA, 50 microM) had no effect on troglitazone stimulated 2DG uptake, indicating that the troglitazone and nitric oxide pathways converge after nitric oxide production. In addition, 12.5 microM dantrolene was shown to have no effect on either troglitazone or SNP stimulated 2DG uptake suggesting that these stimulatory effects are independent of changes in calcium ion concentrations. These data provide important evidence for the acute regulation of glucose transport through GLUT 1 transporters.

Combined effects of troglitazone and muscle contraction on insulin sensitization in Balb-c mouse muscle

Thiazolidinediones, represented by troglitazone, are insulin-sensitizing agents with proven efficacy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Exercise is also recommended for patients with type 2 diabetes because it both stimulates glucose uptake directly and it increases insulin sensitivity following exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of troglitazone combined with exercise on 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) uptake in both the epitrochlearis and soleus muscle of Balb-c mice. Acute, 1-h treatment with troglitazone (10 or 20 microM), in the presence or absence of insulin, had no effect on 2DG uptake in either muscle. Chronic treatment with troglitazone by feeding enhanced the insulin sensitivity and responsiveness of 2DG uptake primarily in the epitrochlearis. Direct electrical stimulation of in situ muscle was used to model exercise while the contralateral muscle was used as the unexercised control. This model mimicked exercise in that glycogen was depleted, immediate 2DG uptake was enhanced, and there was a post-exercise increase in insulin sensitivity. Troglitazone feeding had no effect on 2DG uptake in the soleus when measured immediately after electrical stimultion. However, 2DG uptake in the unstimulated epitrochlearis from troglitazone-fed mice was elevated when measured immediately after removal such that no additional effects of the electrical stimulation were measured. We found that the insulin-sensitizing effect of troglitazone was not additive to the insulin-sensitizing effect of exercise, which suggests that troglitazone and exercise share similar pathways. A unique finding in this study was the differential response to troglitazone between the epitrochlearis (fast twitch) and the soleus (slow twitch) muscle types. Possible mechanisms are discussed.

Vanadates form insoluble complexes with histones

Vanadium oxoanions are known to have a variety of physiological effects including insulin-like activity, inhibition of phosphotyrosine phosphatases, as well as direct interactions with a variety of cellular proteins, such as microtubules. In this study, vanadate was found to form insoluble complexes with histones, as well as other positively charged proteins, in a concentration dependent fashion. This interaction occurred over a 0.5-10 mM range which corresponds to the concentration range required for many of vanadate's known physiological effects. Results from precipitation experiments using vanadate solutions with or without the yellow-orange decavanadate indicated that the decamer form is primarily responsible for this precipitation. Vanadate was able to selectively precipitate histones from soluble chromatin as well as from a soluble bacterial protein extract to which a low concentration of histones had been added. Vanadate was also able to effectively precipitate histone from solutions as low as 0.006 mg/mL histone. Thus, the selective precipitation of histones and other positively charged proteins by vanadate can be utilized as a tool for protein purification. In addition, this interaction may provide insight into the mechanisms for the physiological effects of vanadate.

Histone H4 stimulates glucose uptake through the insulin receptor

Histone H4 stimulates the uptake of glucose in rat adipocytes and muscle cells. However, the mechanism of this unusual activity is not known. Therefore, we have begun to investigate the mechanism by which histone H4 stimulates the glucose uptake in rat adipocytes. We report that histone H4 requires 15-20 min to achieve its maximum effect and its time course is virtually indistinguishable from the time course of insulin itself. Reduction of the concentration of insulin receptors on the surface of adipocytes, either by trypsin digestion of the receptor, or by insulin-induced down regulation of the receptor, reduced the histone H4 effect as well as the insulin effects. Also, quercetin, a bioflavenoid that inhibits the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity, inhibits the actions of both histone H4 and insulin. However, histone H4 activity is somewhat more resistant to these interventions than insulin activity. In contrast to the activity of insulin, histone H4 does not appear to be able to down regulate the insulin receptor, since the pretreatment of adipocytes with histone H4 did not affect the subsequent actions of either insulin or histone H4. Finally, Scatchard analysis of the binding of 125I-insulin in the presence and absence of histone H4 increases the specific binding of insulin in a concentration dependent fashion. Histone H2b, a histone that does not have insulin-like activity, does not affect insulin binding. Taken together, these data suggest that the greatest portion of the insulin-like activity of histone H4 is initiated at the insulin receptor. However, the interaction of histone H4 and the insulin receptor is more complex than a simple binding of H4 to the insulin binding site. These studies may provide additional insight into alternate mechanisms for activation of the insulin receptor.

Histone H4 stimulates glucose transport activity in rat skeletal muscle

We investigated the effects of purified histone H4 on glucose transport activity in rat soleus and flexor digitorum brevis muscles. Histone H4, at concentrations up to 11.8 microM, increased 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) uptake in a dose-dependent fashion. However, at concentrations higher than 11.8 microM, H4 caused a decrease in 2-DG uptake from the maximum, suggesting a secondary inhibitory action of this compound. The maximal effect of H4 on 2-DG uptake was not additive to the maximal effect of insulin. Moreover, 2-DG uptake in the presence of both H4 and insulin was significantly lower than the 2-DG uptake in the presence of insulin alone. The maximal effect of H4 on stimulation of 2-DG uptake was neither additive nor inhibitory to the maximal effects of the intracellularly acting insulin mimetics sodium vanadate or H2O2. It was, on the other hand, additive to the maximal effects of muscle contractions. Also, in contrast with the effects of H4 on insulin-stimulated 2-DG uptake, H4 did not inhibit insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)-stimulated 2-DG uptake, as the maximal effects of H4 and IGF-I were additive. Scatchard analysis of the binding of 125I-insulin in the absence or presence of histone H4 revealed that H4 increased the specific binding of insulin without affecting receptor affinity. These data suggest that H4 interacts with the insulin, rather than the hypoxia/contraction, pathway for activation of glucose transport in muscle tissue, and that H4 acts either directly or indirectly to increase the number of insulin receptors at the surface of the muscle cell. This interaction does not appear to occur with the similar, although distinct, IGF-I receptor. These studies may provide additional insight into the complex signal-transduction systems of insulin action.

Effects of prior exercise on the action of insulin-like growth factor I in skeletal muscle

Prior exercise increases insulin sensitivity for glucose and system A neutral amino acid transport activities in skeletal muscle. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) also activates these transport processes in resting muscle. It is not known, however, whether prior exercise increases IGF-I action in muscle. Therefore we determined the effect of a single exhausting bout of swim exercise on IGF-I-stimulated glucose transport activity [assessed by 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) uptake] and system A activity [assessed by alpha-(methylamino)isobutyric acid (MeAIB) uptake] in the isolated rat epitrochlearis muscle. When measured 3.5 h after exercise, the responses to a submaximal concentration (0.2 nM), but not a maximal concentration (13.3 nM), of insulin for activation of 2-DG uptake and MeAIB uptake were enhanced. In contrast, prior exercise increased markedly both the submaximal (5 nM) and maximal (20 nM) responses to IGF-I for activation of 2-DG uptake, whereas only the submaximal response to IGF-I (3 nM) for MeAIB uptake was enhanced after exercise. We conclude that 1) prior exercise significantly enhances the response to a submaximal concentration of IGF-I for activation of the glucose transport and system A neutral amino acid transport systems in skeletal muscle and 2) the enhanced maximal response for IGF-I action after exercise is restricted to the signaling pathway for activation of the glucose transport system.