Role of Gqα in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by C6 glioma cells

Abstract

To investigate the possibility that insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in C6 cells is due to transactivation of a G protein-mediated pathway, the role of Gq alpha in insulin signaling was studied. Insulin stimulation of [3H]2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) uptake by C6 cells was time- and concentration-dependent: at a concentration of 1 microM, insulin stimulated 2DG uptake by C6 cells by about 30% (p < 0.05). Pertussis toxin treatment of C6 cells did not alter the ability of insulin (1 microM) to promote 2DG uptake, ruling out the involvement of Gion in insulin-stimulated hexose uptake. Next, C6 cells were transfected with Gq alpha cDNA for 48 h, challenged with 1 microM insulin, and 2DG uptake by the cells was determined. Insulin-stimulated 2DG uptake was 1.14 +/- 0.03 and 1.75 +/- 0.19 nmol/min/mg protein in mock- and Gq alpha-transfected cells, respectively (p < 0.05); insulin stimulated 2DG uptake in Gq alpha-transfected cells by 54%. These results suggest an involvement of Gq alpha in the transactivation of the G protein signal transduction pathway by insulin.