Insulin-regulated Gene Research Articles

Dietary carbohydrate-to-protein ratio affects TOR signaling and metabolism-related gene expression in the liver and muscle of rainbow trout after a single meal

Most teleost fish are known to require high levels of dietary proteins. Such high-protein intake could have significant effects, particularly on insulin-regulated gene expression. We therefore analyzed the effects of an increase in the ratio of dietary carbohydrates/proteins on the refeeding activation of the Akt-target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathways in rainbow trout and the effects on the expression of several genes related to hepatic and muscle metabolism and known to be regulated by insulin, amino acids, and/or glucose. Fish were fed once one of three experimental diets containing high (H), medium (M), or low (L) protein (P) or carbohydrate (C) levels after 48 h of feed deprivation. Activation of the Akt/TOR signaling pathway by refeeding was severely impaired by decreasing the proteins-to-carbohydrates ratio. Similarly, postprandial regulation of several genes related to glucose (Glut4, glucose-6-phosphatase isoform 1), lipid (fatty acid synthase, ATP-citrate lyase, sterol responsive element binding protein, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase), and amino acid metabolism (serine dehydratase and branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase E2 subunit) only occurred when fish were fed the high-protein diet. On the other hand, diet composition had a low impact on the expression of genes related to muscle protein degradation. Interestingly, glucokinase was the only gene of those monitored whose expression was significantly upregulated by increased carbohydrate intake. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that macro-nutrient composition of the diet strongly affected the insulin/amino acids signaling pathway and expression pattern of genes related to metabolism.

Chronic social defeat stress disrupts regulation of lipid synthesis

Several psychiatric disorders increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, including posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression. While the precise mechanism for this association has not yet been established, it has been shown that certain disorders promote an unfavorable lipid profile. To study the interaction of stress and lipid dysregulation, we utilized chronic social defeat stress (CSDS), a mouse model of chronic stress with features of posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression. Following exposure to CSDS, mice were given access to either regular chow or a Western-style diet high in fat and cholesterol (HFD). The combination of social stress and HFD resulted in significant perturbations in lipid regulation, including two key features of the metabolic syndrome: increased plasma levels of non-HDL cholesterol and intrahepatic accumulation of triglycerides. These effects were accompanied by a number of changes in the expression of hepatic genes involved in lipid regulation. Transcriptional activity of LXR, SREBP1c, and ChREBP were significantly affected by exposure to HFD and CSDS. We present CSDS as a model of social stress induced lipid dysregulation and propose that social stress alters lipid metabolism by increasing transcriptional activity of genes involved in lipid synthesis.

Obese Women Exhibit Differences in Ovarian Metabolites, Hormones, and Gene Expression Compared with Moderate-Weight Women

Obese women experience longer times to conception, even if they are young and cycling regularly, which is suggestive of alterations in ovarian function during the periconceptual period. This study sought to determine whether there are alterations in the preovulatory follicular environment that are likely to influence oocyte developmental competence. Women attending a private infertility clinic were categorized into body mass index (BMI) groups of moderate (n = 33; BMI 20-24.9 kg/m(2)), overweight (n = 31; BMI 25-29.9 kg/m(2)), and obese (n =32; BMI >or=30 kg/m(2)). For each patient, follicular fluid was recovered from single follicles at oocyte retrieval, granulosa cells were pooled from multiple follicular aspirates and cumulus cells were pooled after separation from the oocytes. Follicle fluid was assayed for hormones and metabolites. Granulosa and cumulus cells were analyzed for mRNA expression of insulin signaling components (IRS-2 and Glut4), glucose-regulated genes (ChREBP, ACC, and FAS) and insulin-regulated genes (SREBP-1, CD36, and SR-BI) associated with obesity/insulin resistance. Increasing BMI was associated with increased follicular fluid insulin (P < 0.001), lactate (P = 0.01), triglycerides (P = 0.0003), and C-reactive protein (P < 0.0001) as well as decreased SHBG (P = 0.001). IRS-2, Glut4, ChREBP, and SREBP exhibited cell-type-specific expression but were not affected by BMI. CD36 and SRBI mRNA were modestly altered in granulosa cells of obese compared with moderate-weight women. Obese women exhibit an altered ovarian follicular environment, particularly increased metabolite, C-reactive protein, and androgen activity levels, which may be associated with poorer reproductive outcomes typically observed in these patients.

Regulation of insulin-response element binding protein-1 in obesity and diabetes: potential role in impaired insulin-induced gene transcription.

One of the major mechanisms by which insulin modulates glucose homeostasis is through regulation of gene expression. Therefore, reduced expression of transcription factors that are required for insulin-regulated gene expression may contribute to insulin resistance. We recently identified insulin response element-binding protein-1 (IRE-BP1) as a transcription factor that binds and transactivates multiple insulin-responsive genes, but the regulation of IRE-BP1 in vivo is largely unknown. In this study, we show that IRE-BP1 interacts with the insulin response sequence of the IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and IGFBP-3 genes using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Furthermore, activation by IRE-BP1 is sequence specific and mimics that of the insulin effect on gene transcription. Tissue expression of IRE-BP1 is 50- to 200-fold higher in classical insulin target compared with nontarget tissues in lean animals, with a significantly reduced level of expression in the skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in obese and diabetic animals. In the liver, IRE-BP1 is localized to the nucleus in lean rats but is sequestered to the cytoplasm in obese and diabetic animals. Cytoplasmic sequestration appears to be related to inhibition of insulin-mediated phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase signaling. Therefore, in diabetes and obesity, the mechanisms involved in reducing the transactivation of the insulin response sequence by IRE-BP1 include decreased gene transcription and nuclear exclusion to prevent DNA binding. Our study supports the notion that IRE-BP1 may be relevant to the action of insulin in vivo and may play a role in the development of insulin resistance and diabetes.

Nuclear transcription factors and lipid homeostasis in liver

Nuclear transcription factors and lipid homeostasis in liver

Microarray analysis of insulin-regulated gene expression in the liver: The use of transgenic mice co-expressing insulin-siRNA and human IDE as an animal model

To characterize the changes in global gene expression in the livers of H1/siRNAinsulin-CMV/hIDE transgenic (Tg) mice in response to the reduced bioavailability of insulin, total RNA extracted from the livers of 20-week-old Tg and non-Tg mice was converted to cDNA, labeled with biotin and hybridized to oligonucleotide microarrays. The microarray results were confirmed by a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Two hundred and fifty-one and 73 genes were up- and down-regulated, respectively by insulin in H1/siRNAinsulin-CMV/hIDE Tg mice compared to the controls. Genes encoding for physiological processes, extracellular defense response and response to biotic stimuli were significantly over-represented in the up-regulated group. Among the down-regulated transcripts, those encoding for extracellular matrix proteins were dramatically over-represented, followed by those related to monooxygenase and oxidoreductase activities. The major genes in the up-regulated categories included Egr1, Saa2, Atf3, DNAJB1 and cCL2, whereas those in the down-regulated categories were Cyp17a1, Adn, Gadd45g, Eno3 and Moxd1. These results indicate that the microarray analysis identifies several gene functional groups and individual genes that respond to a sustained reduction in the insulin levels in the livers of Tg mice. These results also suggest that microarray testing is a useful tool for the better understanding of insulin-regulated diabetes-related diseases.

Characterization of a Protein Kinase B Inhibitor In Vitro and in Insulin-Treated Liver Cells

Abnormal expression of the hepatic gluconeogenic genes (glucose-6-phosphatase [G6Pase] and PEPCK) contributes to hyperglycemia. These genes are repressed by insulin, but this process is defective in diabetic subjects. Protein kinase B (PKB) is implicated in this action of insulin. An inhibitor of PKB, Akt inhibitor (Akti)-1/2, was recently reported; however, the specificity and efficacy against insulin-induced PKB was not reported. Our aim was to characterize the specificity and efficacy of Akti-1/2 in cells exposed to insulin and then establish whether inhibition of PKB is sufficient to prevent regulation of hepatic gene expression by insulin. Akti-1/2 was assayed against 70 kinases in vitro and its ability to block PKB activation in cells exposed to insulin fully characterized. Akti-1/2 exhibits high selectivity toward PKBalpha and PKBbeta. Complete inhibition of PKB activity is achieved in liver cells incubated with 1-10 mumol/l Akti-1/2, and this blocks insulin regulation of PEPCK and G6Pase expression. Our data demonstrate that only 5-10% of maximal insulin-induced PKB is required to fully repress PEPCK and G6Pase expression. Finally, we demonstrate reduced insulin sensitivity of these gene promoters in cells exposed to submaximal concentrations of Akti-1/2; however, full repression of the genes can still be achieved by high concentrations of insulin. This work establishes the requirement for PKB activity in the insulin regulation of PEPCK, G6Pase, and a third insulin-regulated gene, IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP1); suggests a high degree of functional reserve; and identifies Akti-1/2 as a useful tool to delineate PKB function in the liver.

Interleukin-1–Receptor Antagonist in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The expression of interleukin-1-receptor antagonist is reduced in pancreatic islets of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and high glucose concentrations induce the production of interleukin-1beta in human pancreatic beta cells, leading to impaired insulin secretion, decreased cell proliferation, and apoptosis. In this double-blind, parallel-group trial involving 70 patients with type 2 diabetes, we randomly assigned 34 patients to receive 100 mg of anakinra (a recombinant human interleukin-1-receptor antagonist) subcutaneously once daily for 13 weeks and 36 patients to receive placebo. At baseline and at 13 weeks, all patients underwent an oral glucose-tolerance test, followed by an intravenous bolus of 0.3 g of glucose per kilogram of body weight, 0.5 mg of glucagon, and 5 g of arginine. In addition, 35 patients underwent a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp study. The primary end point was a change in the level of glycated hemoglobin, and secondary end points were changes in beta-cell function, insulin sensitivity, and inflammatory markers. At 13 weeks, in the anakinra group, the glycated hemoglobin level was 0.46 percentage point lower than in the placebo group (P=0.03); C-peptide secretion was enhanced (P=0.05), and there were reductions in the ratio of proinsulin to insulin (P=0.005) and in levels of interleukin-6 (P<0.001) and C-reactive protein (P=0.002). Insulin resistance, insulin-regulated gene expression in skeletal muscle, serum adipokine levels, and the body-mass index were similar in the two study groups. Symptomatic hypoglycemia was not observed, and there were no apparent drug-related serious adverse events. The blockade of interleukin-1 with anakinra improved glycemia and beta-cell secretory function and reduced markers of systemic inflammation. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00303394 [ClinicalTrials.gov].).

Transcriptional profiling of C2C12 myotubes in response to SHIP2 depletion and insulin stimulation

Phosphoinositide lipids generated at the cell membrane are a key component of a variety of signaling pathways. Among several inositol phosphatases that regulate the availability of signaling phosphoinositide lipids, the type II SH2-domain-containing inositol 5-phosphatase (SHIP2; approved gene symbol Inppl1) is believed to have multiple functions, including the regulation of insulin signaling and cytoskeletal functions. To understand the function of SHIP2 in C2C12 muscle cells, we depleted SHIP2 through the use of RNA interference and analyzed the global effect of SHIP2 depletion on gene expression using Affymetrix microarrays containing ∼45,000 mouse probe sets. Expression of SHIP2-targeting small-hairpin RNA in differentiated C2C12 muscle cells led to >80% decrease in SHIP2 mRNA and 60–80% decrease in SHIP2 protein, which resulted in significant gene expression changes linked to cytoskeletal functions, including altered expression of adducin-α, pallidin, stathmin-like-2, and synaptojanin-2 binding protein. Insulin treatment of C2C12 muscle cells caused transcriptional changes associated with known signaling pathways. However, SHIP2 depletion had no discernible effect on insulin-regulated gene expression. Taken together, our results suggest that SHIP2 is involved in the regulation of cytoskeletal functions, but a large reduction of SHIP2 in C2C12 muscle cells is not sufficient to affect insulin-mediated gene expression.

Distinct transcriptional regulation of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase isoforms and cytosolic thioesterase 1 in the rodent heart by fatty acids and insulin

The molecular mechanism(s) responsible for channeling long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) into oxidative versus nonoxidative pathways is (are) poorly understood in the heart. Intracellular LCFAs are converted to long-chain fatty acyl-CoAs (LCFA-CoAs) by a family of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetases (ACSLs). Cytosolic thioesterase 1 (CTE1) hydrolyzes cytosolic LCFA-CoAs to LCFAs, generating a potential futile cycle at the expense of ATP utilization. We hypothesized that ACSL isoforms and CTE1 are differentially regulated in the heart during physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Using quantitative RT-PCR, we report that the five known acsl isoforms (acsl1, acsl3, acsl4, acsl5, and acsl6) and cte1 are expressed in whole rat and mouse hearts, as well as adult rat cardiomyocytes (ARCs). Streptozotocin-induced insulin-dependent diabetes (4 wk) and fasting (</=24 h) both dramatically induced cte1 and repressed acsl6 mRNA, with no significant effects on the other acsl isoforms. In contrast, high-fat feeding (4 wk) induced cte1 without affecting expression of the acsl isoforms in the heart. Investigation into the mechanism(s) responsible for these transcriptional changes uncovered roles for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARalpha) and insulin as regulators of specific acsl isoforms and cte1 in the heart. Culturing ARCs with oleate (0.1-0.4 mM) or the PPARalpha agonists WY-14643 (1 muM) and fenofibrate (10 muM) consistently induced acsl1 and cte1. Conversely, PPARalpha null mouse hearts exhibited decreased acsl1 and cte1 expression. Culturing ARCs with insulin (10 nM) induced acsl6, whereas specific loss of insulin signaling within the heart (cardiac-specific insulin receptor knockout mice) caused decreased acsl6 expression. Our data expose differential regulation of acsl isoforms and cte1 in the heart, where acsl1 and cte1 are PPARalpha-regulated genes, whereas acsl6 is an insulin-regulated gene.

Deficiency of PDK1 in liver results in glucose intolerance, impairment of insulin-regulated gene expression and liver failure.

The liver plays an important role in insulin-regulated glucose homoeostasis. To study the function of the PDK1 (3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1) signalling pathway in mediating insulin's actions in the liver, we employed CRE recombinase/loxP technology to generate L(liver)-PDK1-/- mice, which lack expression of PDK1 in hepatocytes and in which insulin failed to induce activation of PKB in liver. The L-PDK1-/- mice were not insulin-intolerant, possessed normal levels of blood glucose and insulin under normal feeding conditions, but were markedly glucose-intolerant when injected with glucose. The L-PDK1-/- mice also possessed 10-fold lower levels of hepatic glycogen compared with control littermates, and were unable to normalize their blood glucose levels within 2 h after injection of insulin. The glucose intolerance of the L-PDK1-/- mice may be due to an inability of glucose to suppress hepatic glucose output through the gluconeogenic pathway, since the mRNA encoding hepatic PEPCK (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), G6Pase (glucose-6-phosphatase) and SREBP1 (sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein 1), which regulate gluconeogenesis, are no longer controlled by feeding. Furthermore, three other insulin-controlled genes, namely IGFBP1 (insulin-like-growth-factor-binding protein-1), IRS2 (insulin receptor substrate 2) and glucokinase, were regulated abnormally by feeding in the liver of PDK1-deficient mice. Finally, the L-PDK1-/- mice died between 4-16 weeks of age due to liver failure. These results establish that the PDK1 signalling pathway plays an important role in regulating glucose homoeostasis and controlling expression of insulin-regulated genes. They suggest that a deficiency of the PDK1 pathway in the liver could contribute to development of diabetes, as well as to liver failure.

Distinguishing covariation from causation in diabetes: a lesson from the protein disulfide isomerase mRNA abundance trait.

Protein disulfide isomerase (Pdi) is reported to be an insulin-regulated gene whose expression level is increased in the livers of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. We found that Pdi mRNA is approximately 20-fold more abundant in the diabetes-susceptible BTBR mouse strain relative to the diabetes-resistant C56BL/6 (B6) strain. A genetic analysis was carried out to determine whether there is a causal relationship between elevated Pdi expression and diabetes phenotype in BTBR-ob/ob mice. We mapped Pdi mRNA abundance as a quantitative trait in 108 (B6 x BTBR)F(2)-ob/ob mice segregating for diabetes. We detected a single linkage at the telomeric end of chromosome 11, where the Pdi gene itself resides (logarithm of odds score >30.0). No linkage was detected for the Pdi mRNA trait in the regions where we have previously identified quantitative trait loci for diabetes traits. Sequencing of the Pdi promoter and cDNA revealed several single nucleotide polymorphisms between these two mouse strains. We conclude that in our experimental model, elevated Pdi expression is cis regulated and is not linked to diabetes susceptibility. Genetic analysis is a powerful tool for distinguishing covariation from causation in expression array studies of disease traits.

Microarray Profiling of Human Skeletal Muscle Reveals That Insulin Regulates ∼800 Genes during a Hyperinsulinemic Clamp

Insulin action in target tissues involved precise regulation of gene expression. To define the set of insulin-regulated genes in human skeletal muscle, we analyzed the global changes in mRNA levels during a 3-h hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp in vastus lateralis muscle of six healthy subjects. Using 29,308 cDNA element microarrays, we found that the mRNA expression of 762 genes, including 353 expressed sequence tags, was significantly modified during insulin infusion. 478 were up-regulated and 284 down-regulated. Most of the genes with known function are novel targets of insulin. They are involved in the transcriptional and translational regulation (29%), intermediary and energy metabolisms (14%), intracellular signaling (12%), and cytoskeleton and vesicle traffic (9%). Other categories consisted of genes coding for receptors, carriers, and transporters (8%), components of the ubiquitin/proteasome pathways (7%) and elements of the immune response (5.5%). These results thus define a transcriptional signature of insulin action in human skeletal muscle. They will help to better define the mechanisms involved in the reduction of insulin effectiveness in pathologies such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, a disease characterized by defective regulation of gene expression in response to insulin.

Insulin and Sterol-regulatory Element-binding Protein-1c (SREBP-1C) Regulation of Gene Expression in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes: IDENTIFICATION OF CCAAT/ENHANCER-BINDING PROTEIN β AS AN SREBP-1C TARGET

We evaluated the hypothesis of sterol-regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c being a general mediator of the transcriptional effects of insulin, with a focus on adipocytes, in which insulin profoundly influences specific gene expression. Using real time quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR to monitor changes in the expression of about 50 genes that cover a wide range of adipocyte functions, we have compared the impact of insulin treatment with that of adenoviral overexpression of either dominant positive or dominant negative SREBP-1c mutants in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. As expected, insulin up-regulated, dominant positive stimulated, and dominant negative decreased previously characterized direct SREBP targets (FAS, SCD-1, and low density lipoprotein receptor). We also identified three novel SREBP-1c transcriptional targets in adipocytes, which were confirmed by run-on assays: plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein delta (C/EBPdelta), and C/EBPbeta. Because most insulin-regulated genes were also modulated by SREBP-1c mutants, our data establish that 1) SREBP-1c is an important mediator of insulin transcriptional effects in adipocytes, and 2) C/EBPbeta is under the direct control of SREBP-1c, as demonstrated by the ability of SREBP-1c to activate the transcription from C/EBPbeta promoter through canonical SREBP binding sites. Thus, some of the effects of insulin and/or SREBP-1c in mature fat cells might require C/EBPbeta or C/EBPdelta as transcriptional relays.

Insulin-regulated gene expression.

Insulin regulates the expression of more than 150 genes, indicating that this is a major action of this hormone. At least eight distinct consensus insulin response sequence (IRSs) have been defined through which insulin can regulate gene transcription. These include the serum response element, the activator protein 1 ('AP-1') motif, the Ets motif, the E-box motif and the thyroid transcription factor 2 ('TTF-2') motif. All of these IRSs mediate stimulatory effects of insulin on gene transcription. In contrast, an element with the consensus sequence T(G/A)TTT(T/G)(G/T), which we refer to as the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK)-like motif, mediates the inhibitory effect of insulin on transcription of the genes encoding PEPCK, insulin-like-growth-factor-binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1), tyrosine aminotransferase and the glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) catalytic subunit. The forkhead transcription factor FKHR has recently been shown to bind this PEPCK-like IRS motif and a model has been proposed in which insulin inhibits gene transcription by stimulating the phosphorylation and nuclear export of FKHR. Our results suggest that this model is consistent with the action of insulin on transcription of the gene encoding IGFBP-1 but not that of the G6Pase catalytic subunit. Thus, even though the IRSs in both promoters seem identical, they are functionally distinct. In addition, in the G6Pase catalytic subunit promoter, hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 ('HNF-1'), acts as an accessory factor to enhance the effect of insulin mediated through the IRS.

Insulin-Regulated Gene Expression

Insulin-Regulated Gene Expression

A Nucleoprotein Complex containing CCAAT/Enhancer-binding Protein β Interacts with an Insulin Response Sequence in the Insulin-like Growth Factor-binding Protein-1 Gene and Contributes to Insulin-regulated Gene Expression

Highly related insulin response sequences (IRSs) mediate effects of insulin on the expression of multiple genes in the liver, including insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). Gel shift studies reveal that oligonucleotide probes containing an IRS from the IGFBP-1 or PEPCK gene form a similar complex with hepatic nuclear proteins. Unlabeled competitors containing the IGFBP-1 or PEPCK IRS or a binding site for C/EBP proteins inhibit the formation of this complex. Antibody against C/EBPbeta (but not other C/EBP proteins) supershifts this complex, and Western blotting of affinity purified proteins confirms that C/EBPbeta is present in this complex. Studies with affinity purified and recombinant protein indicate that C/EBPbeta does not interact directly with the IRS, but that other factors are required. Gel shift assays and reporter gene studies with constructs containing point mutations within the IRS reveal that the ability to interact with factors required for the formation of this complex correlates well with the ability of insulin to regulate promoter activity via this IRS (r = 0.849, p < 0.01). Replacing the IRS in reporter gene constructs with a C/EBP-binding site (but not an HNF-3/forkhead site or cAMP response element) maintains the effect of insulin on promoter activity. Together, these findings indicate that a nucleoprotein complex containing C/EBPbeta interacts with IRSs from the IGFBP-1 and PEPCK genes in a sequence-specific fashion and may contribute to the ability of insulin to regulate gene expression.

Regulation of Glucose-6-phosphatase Gene Expression by Protein Kinase Bα and the Forkhead Transcription Factor FKHR: EVIDENCE FOR INSULIN RESPONSE UNIT-DEPENDENT AND -INDEPENDENT EFFECTS OF INSULIN ON PROMOTER ACTIVITY

Glucose-6-phosphatase plays an important role in the regulation of hepatic glucose production, and insulin suppresses glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression. Recent studies indicate that protein kinase B and Forkhead proteins contribute to insulin-regulated gene expression in the liver. Here, we examined the role of protein kinase B and Forkhead proteins in mediating effects of insulin on glucose-6-phosphatase promoter activity. Transient transfection studies with reporter gene constructs demonstrate that insulin suppresses both basal and dexamethasone/cAMP-induced activity of the glucose-6-phosphatase promoter in H4IIE hepatoma cells. Both effects are partially mimicked by coexpression of protein kinase Balpha. Coexpression of the Forkhead transcription factor FKHR stimulates the glucose-6-phosphatase promoter activity via interaction with an insulin response unit (IRU), and this activation is suppressed by protein kinase B. Coexpression of a mutated form of FKHR that cannot be phosphorylated by protein kinase B abolishes the regulation of the glucose-6-phosphatase promoter by protein kinase B and disrupts the ability of insulin to regulate the glucose-6-phosphatase promoter via the IRU. Mutation of the insulin response unit of the glucose-6-phosphatase promoter also prevents the regulation of promoter activity by FKHR and protein kinase B but only partially impairs the ability of insulin to suppress both basal and dexamethasone/cAMP-stimulated promoter function. Taken together, these results indicate that signaling by protein kinase B to Forkhead proteins can account for the ability of insulin to regulate glucose-6-phosphatase promoter activity via the IRU and that other mechanisms that are independent of the IRU, protein kinase B, and Forkhead proteins also are important in mediating effects of in insulin on glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression.

Insulin acutely regulates the expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma in human adipocytes.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma is one of the key actors of adipocyte differentiation. This study demonstrates 1) that PPAR-gamma mRNA expression is not altered in subcutaneous adipose tissue (n = 44) or in skeletal muscle (n = 19) of subjects spanning a wide range of BMIs (20-53 kg/m2) and 2) that insulin acutely increases PPAR-gamma mRNA expression in human adipocytes both in vivo and in vitro. The effect of insulin was investigated in abdominal subcutaneous biopsies obtained before and at the end of a 3-h euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. Insulin significantly increased PPAR-gamma mRNA levels in lean subjects (88 +/- 17%, n = 6), in type 2 diabetic patients (100 +/- 19%, n = 6), and in nondiabetic obese patients (91 +/- 20%, n = 6). Both PPAR-gamma1 and PPAR-gamma2 mRNA variants were increased (P < 0.05) after insulin infusion. In isolated human adipocytes, insulin induced the two PPAR-gamma mRNAs in a dose-dependent manner, with half-maximal stimulation at a concentration of approximately 1-5 nmol/l. However, PPAR-gamma2 mRNA was rapidly (2 h) and transiently increased, whereas a slow and more progressive induction of PPAR-gamma1 was observed during the 6 h of incubation. In explants of human adipose tissue, PPAR-gamma protein levels were significantly increased (42 +/- 3%, P < 0.05) after 12 h of incubation with insulin. These data demonstrate that PPAR-gamma belongs to the list of the insulin-regulated genes and that obesity and type 2 diabetes are not associated with alteration in the expression of this nuclear receptor in adipose tissue.

Involvement of the Ras/extracellular signal-regulated kinase signalling pathway in the regulation of ERCC-1 mRNA levels by insulin.

Expression of DNA repair enzymes, which includes ERCC-1, might be under the control of hormonal and growth factor stimulation. In the present study it was observed that insulin increased ERCC-1 mRNA levels both in Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing human insulin receptors (HIRc cells) and in fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. To investigate the mechanisms underlying the increase in ERCC-1 gene expression in HIRc cells, we used a variety of pharmacological tools known to inhibit distinct signalling pathways. None of these inhibitors affected the amount of ERCC-1 mRNA in unstimulated cells. The pretreatment of cells with two chemically unrelated phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002, failed to block the doubling of ERCC-1 mRNA content by insulin. Similarly, inhibition of pp70 S6 kinase by rapamycin had no apparent effects on this insulin response. In contrast, altering the p21(ras)-dependent pathway with either manumycin, an inhibitor of Ras farnesylation, or PD98059, an inhibitor of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) kinase, suppressed the induction of ERCC-1 mRNA by insulin (P<0.001). Furthermore inhibition of RNA and protein synthesis negatively regulated the expression of this insulin-regulated gene (P<0.005). These results suggest that insulin enhances ERCC-1 mRNA levels by the activation of the Ras-ERK-dependent pathway without the involvement of the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/pp70 S6 kinase.