Studies of liver insulin receptors in non-obese and obese human subjects.

The insulin-binding isotherms and the structural composition of human liver insulin receptors were examined by using plasma membranes that were prepared from liver biopsies of nine non-obese and 10 obese subjects undergoing elective surgery. The insulin-binding characteristics of liver membranes from non-obese subjects were quite similar to those previously described in rat liver membranes. However, when the membranes from obese subjects were compared with the non-obese group, insulin-binding activity was reduced by 50% (P less than 0.01). The reduction in obesity resulted primarily from a decrease in total receptor number, although a small decrease in receptor affinity was also observed. Insulin binding was not correlated with sex or with the fasting plasma insulin level. The insulin-binding sites of liver membranes were affinity-labeled with 125I-insulin and the cross-linking reagent, disuccinimidyl suberate. The liver membranes from both the non-obese and the obese group had heterogenous (nonreduced) insulin-binding species of 300,000, 260,000, and 150,000 mol wt, which were again comparable to the findings reported in rat liver. Sulfhydryl reduction demonstrated a major sub-unit of 125,000 and a minor component of 40,000-45,000 in both groups. These results indicate a close similarity between the hepatic insulin receptor of man and the more intensely studied rat hepatic receptor. Obesity in human subjects is associated with a loss of hepatic insulin receptors. This alteration may contribute to the insulin resistance reported in this organ as well as to obesity-mediated glucose tolerance.

Stimulation of rat erythrocyte P2X7 receptor induces the release of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Red blood cells (RBCs) are reservoirs of vasodilatory, antiaggregatory, and antiinflammatory lipid mediators-epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs). This study addresses the formation and release of erythrocyte-derived EETs in response to ATP receptor stimulation that may represent an important mechanism regarding circulatory regulation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Erythrocyte EET formation and release were investigated by incubating rat RBCs in physiological salt solution with agents that effected ATP release via P2 receptor stimulation of phospholipase A2 and epoxygenase-like activities with activation of the ATP secretory mechanism. EETs were analyzed by gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. KEY RESULTS: EETs were released from rat RBCs: 14,15-, 11,12-, 8,9- and 5,6-EETs in a ratio of 1.2:1.0:0.9:0.8. EETs were produced by epoxidation of arachidonic acid catalyzed by hemoglobin. Spontaneous release of EETs, 0.66+/-0.14 ng per 10(9) RBCs, was dose-dependently increased by an ATP analog, BzATP, and inhibited by P2X(7) receptor antagonists. 5 microM ATP increased release of EETs over 20% to 0.83+/-0.15 ng per 10(9) RBCs; 10 microM BzATP tripled the amount of EET release to 1.87+/-0.20 ng per 10(9) RBCs. EET release by ATP or BzATP was not associated with hemolysis. Carbenoxolone, a gap junction inhibitor that inhibits ATP release, and glibenclamide, an inhibitor of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), which is required for ATP release, inhibited the spontaneous and stimulated EET release from RBCs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: EETs are produced and released from RBCs via a mechanism that is mediated by ATP stimulation of P2X(7) receptors coupled to ATP transporters, pannexin-1 and CFTR.

Induced cytoskeletal changes in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells by resveratrol and the accompanying modified responses to arterial shear stress.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD) are significant contributors to morbidity and mortality in developed countries. A noted exception is the low mortality of CHD in France, particularly the southwest region. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as the French paradox, may be associated with high consumption of red wine. We investigate whether the cardioprotective activity of red wine may involve the grape skin-derived polyphenol, resveratrol. We further test the possibility that resveratrol acts by modulating structural and functional changes in endothelial cells lining the blood vessel wall. RESULTS: Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAEC) were incubated with resveratrol, with and without concurrent exposure to simulated arterial shear stress. Resveratrol significantly affected proliferation and shape of BPAEC; growth was suppressed and cells became elongated, based on morphologic analysis of rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin stained F-actin by confocal microscopy. Using selective signaling inhibitors, we showed that the resveratrol-induced cellular phenotype was dependent on intracellular calcium and tyrosine kinase activities, and assembly of actin microfilaments and microtubules, but was unrelated to PKC activity. Exposure to simulated arterial flow revealed that, whereas controls cells easily detached from the culture support in a time-dependent manner, resulting in total cell loss after a 5 min challenge with simulated arterial flow conditions, a significant percentage of the treated cells remained attached to the cultured plastic coverslips under identical experimental conditions, suggesting that they adhered more strongly to the surface. Western blot analysis shows that whereas cells treated with 25 microM and 100 microM resveratrol had no change in total ERK1/2, treatment did result in an increase in phosphorylated ERK1/2, which probably involved stabilization of the active enzyme. An increase in nitric oxide synthase expression was detected as early as 6 h and persisted for up to 4 days of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Results of our studies show that resveratrol interacts with endothelial cells in vitro to elicit morphological and structural changes; the observed changes support the interpretation that resveratrol acts as a cardioprotective agent.

Thrombin-induced effects are selectively inhibited following treatment of intact human platelets with okadaic acid.

The involvement of protein phosphatases in regulating platelet activation was studied. The major portion of the phosphorylase phosphatase activity found in platelet lysates appears to be of the type 1 variety. The identification of this enzyme was based on the finding that greater than 80% of protein phosphatase activity was inhibited by the heat-stable inhibitor protein inhibitor 2 and, while only 20% of the phosphorylase phosphatase activity in platelet extracts was inhibited by 2 nM okadaic acid, greater than 95% of the activity was inhibited in the presence of 1 microM okadaic acid. Increases in protein phosphorylations occurred and thrombin-induced release of serotonin was prevented as a result of artificially inhibiting the enzyme with okadaic acid in intact platelets. This implies either that the regulation of okadaic acid sensitive protein phosphatases is necessary for some agonist-induced effects or that okadaic acid sensitive phosphatases are required for maintaining platelets in a responsive state.

Inhibitors of protein phosphatase type 1 and 2A attenuate phosphatidylinositol metabolism and Ca(2+)-transients in human platelets. Role of a cdc2-related protein kinase.

The addition of either okadaic acid or calyculin A desensitizes human platelets to thrombin. One objective of this study was to determine which step(s) leading to secretion reactions may be affected by these protein phosphatase inhibitors. In a dose-dependent manner, okadaic acid or calyculin A inhibits phosphatidylinositol metabolism and Ca(2+)-transients. In all cases, calyculin A was approximately 10-fold more potent than okadaic acid, and it had maximal effects at a concentration of 1 microM. Although thrombin-induced rises in [Ca2+]i were diminished, an increase in the phosphorylation state of myosin light chains (MLC) was still observed. Changes in this phosphorylation were diminished, however, following the addition of thrombin to calyculin A-treated platelets that were loaded with dimethyl-BAPTA. These data demonstrate that calyculin A and okadaic acid lower agonist-induced Ca(2+)-transients, which in turn prevents responses such as secretion reactions. Calyculin A/okadaic acid-induced phosphorylation events were not diminished in BAPTA-loaded platelets, suggesting that these phosphorylations are Ca(2+)-insensitive. Thus, a second objective of this study was to identify the protein kinase(s) that was(were) responsible for the calyculin A-induced phosphorylations. In a platelet lysate system, calyculin A caused an increase in the incorporation of [32P]phosphate into p50. This phosphorylation event was identical to that observed in the intact platelet and was not mimicked by cAMP, cGMP, Ca2+, or a Ca2+/phospholipid/diacylglycerol mixture. Kinase activity was removed after the lysate was incubated with p13suc1-Sepharose. This suggests that a p13suc1-sensitive protein kinase, e.g., a cell cycle-dependent protein kinase, is responsible for the calyculin A-sensitive phosphorylation events.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aggregation-dependent signaling in human platelets is sensitive to protein serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitors.

When platelets are stimulated by the addition of thrombin, a series of temporally linked signaling events are initiated. Some of the early events are needed to engage the integrin glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa in a high-affinity state. This in turn leads to aggregation, which initiates a wave of events distinct from those triggered by thrombin. Platelet responses are sensitive to protein serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitors, but which events are dependent on protein phosphatase activity is not known. In the present studies, the effect of the phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A on aggregation-induced signaling was examined. The addition of 0.2 unit/mL thrombin caused aggregation-dependent redistribution of cytoskeletal proteins (actin binding protein, talin, vinculin, and alpha-actinin), glycoproteins (GPIIb-IIIa, PECAM), and signaling molecules (PI3-kinase, pp60c-src) to the cytoskeletal fraction of platelets. Addition of 1-2 microM calyculin A blocked the ability of 0.2 unit/mL thrombin to induce aggregation and the association of these molecules with the cytoskeleton. Aggregation (60-80% of control) was restored if 1 unit/mL thrombin was added, but there was no corresponding redistribution of actin binding protein, talin, vinculin, alpha-actinin, GPIIb-IIIa, PECAM, PI3-kinase, and pp60c-src to the cytoskeleton. Treatment of platelets with calyculin A resulted in an increase in the phosphorylation state of a membrane skeletal protein of 50 kDa. These data strongly suggest that platelet aggregation is dissociable from aggregation-induced signaling, which is dependent on type 1 and 2A phosphatase activities.

A thiol-sensitive degradative process of liver uncouples autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor from insulin binding.

Insulin receptors derived from highly purified rat liver plasma membranes and Golgi membranes showed differences in insulin-mediated receptor autophosphorylation, even though their insulin-binding characteristics were similar. This difference was related to the generation of a Mr-84,000 fragment of the Mr-90,000 beta subunit of the plasma-membrane receptor, a fragment that was not present in the receptor from Golgi membranes, in the absence of a change in the insulin-binding alpha subunit. When autophosphorylation activity was based on insulin binding, the activity of the plasma-membrane-derived insulin receptor was decreased to 25-30% that of the Golgi-derived receptor. Endoglycosidase F digestion produced changes in the Mr values for both species, but they were not converted into a single subunit, thereby suggesting differences in the protein component of the two subunits. Although the proteinase inhibitors phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride, ovomucoid and aprotinin failed to block the formation of the Mr-84,000 fragment, the presence of iodoacetamide or EDTA during liver homogenization markedly inhibited fragment generation and allowed the plasma-membrane insulin receptor to retain an autophosphorylation activity comparable with that present in insulin receptors from Golgi membranes. Thus a thiol-sensitive, cation-dependent, degrading activity has been identified that can uncouple the insulin-binding activity of the plasma-membrane insulin receptor from its tyrosine kinase activity.

The different receptor species of liver have similar complex insulin binding properties.

Liver plasma membranes bind insulin in a complex fashion via three prominent disulfide-linked insulin receptor structures of 360K, 300K, and 260K molecular weight. To determine if the complex binding is explained by different binding affinities among the different structures, 125I-insulin was specifically cross-linked to the binding sites and the amount of radiolabeled insulin was determined after SDS-gel electrophoresis. The insulin binding characteristics of each structure were similar to the binding properties of the intact membrane. The Scatchard plot for each structure was curvilinear and the Kd values for the high and low affinity components were similar to the membrane values. Thus, the curvilinear Scatchard plot of insulin binding to liver membranes is also a feature of each receptor structure and is not a function of different receptors with different binding properties.

Agents that elevate the concentration of cAMP in platelets inhibit the formation of a NaDodSO4-resistant complex between thrombin and a 40-kDa protein.

We studied the influence of prostaglandin E1 and theophylline on the ability of rabbit or human platelets to form NaDodSO4-resistant complexes between 125I-labeled thrombin and a platelet protein of approximately equal to 40 kDa. Control platelets formed two types of these complexes, one that sedimented with the platelets and one that was found in the suspension medium. There were 30-40 sedimentable complexes per platelet and about three times this number of soluble complexes. Pretreatment of rabbit or human platelets with prostaglandin E1 and theophylline decreased the formation of both types of complex by as much as 60-80%. The pretreatment was particularly effective when low doses of thrombin were used. When added to control platelets, such doses of thrombin caused the formation of sedimentable complexes and the concomitant formation of inositol trisphosphate. However, when added to platelets that had been pretreated with prostaglandin E1 and theophylline, low doses of thrombin had little or no effect on either reaction.

Copurification of casein kinase II with 20 S proteasomes and phosphorylation of a 30-kDa proteasome subunit.

The 20 S proteasome is a multicatalytic protease that has been implicated in several processes including ATP/ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. However, the ATP requirement(s) related to proteasome function is undefined. We demonstrate that a protein kinase activity copurifies through multiple steps utilized to isolate latent 20 S proteasomes from human erythrocytes. The kinase phosphorylates serine residues within a single 30-kDa proteasome subunit. The activity is not sensitive to cyclic AMP or protein kinase inhibitor, indicating that it is not a cyclic AMP-dependent kinase. It is sensitive to nanomolar levels of heparin and is able to utilize both ATP and GTP as phosphodonors, similar to casein kinase II activity. Moreover, a polyclonal antibody specific for casein kinase II recognizes the alpha' subunit of casein kinase II in the 20 S preparation and specifically immunoprecipitates the proteasome-phosphorylating activity. These characteristics suggest that the proteasome kinase is similar or identical to casein kinase II. It is suggested that phosphorylation of the 30-kDa proteasome subunit by casein kinase II may be involved in regulating the activity and/or assembly of proteasome complexes.

Phosphorylation of the proteasome activator PA28 is required for proteasome activation.

PA28, also referred to as 11S regulator, is a potent activator of the peptidase activities of the proteasome (multicatalytic proteinase complex). Although the role(s) of PA28-20S proteasome complexes in cellular proteolytic processes remain to be defined, these particles have been implicated in antigen processing of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. Our results demonstrate that PA28 is phosphorylated as evidenced by 32P incorporation into a single PA28 species in rabbit reticulocytes. In reticulocytes as well as human erythrocytes, PA28 is normally found in a phosphorylated state as detected by phosphoserine antibody. In human erythrocytes, this antibody recognizes three polypeptides which are also detected by antibody to PA28 on Western blot analysis. Dephosphorylation with alkaline phosphatase treatment completely abolishes the ability of PA28 to activate hydrolysis of Suc-Leu-Leu-Val-Tyr by proteasomes. After exposure to phosphatase, the three polypeptides are no longer recognized by phosphoserine antibody, although binding to PA28 antibody is unaffected. These results suggest that phosphorylation may function in transduction of cytokine and growth factor signals that, in turn, modulate antigen presentation and other processes which involve PA28-20S proteasome complexes.

A procedure for the rapid preparation of 14C-aminoacyl-transfer RNA and its use in the assay of class I ribonucleases and ribonuclease inhibitor.

The presence of ribonuclease inhibitor and/or the activity of class I ribonucleases can conveniently be measured, at all stages of purification, by a highly sensitive assay based on the loss of radioactivity during the concomitant hydrolysis of tRNA and small amounts of 14C-labeled aminoacyl-tRNA. The rapid, economical assay, which is readily adaptable to homologous tRNA substrates, eliminates the necessity of filtration, centrifugation and ultraviolet spectroscopy measurements required by most other assays and is particularly suitable for multiple samples and kinetic measurements.

The ribonuclease inhibitors from porcine thyroid and liver are slow, tight-binding inhibitors of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A.

Ribonuclease inhibitors were purified from the latent ribonuclease fractions of porcine thyroid and liver and used to test the hypothesis that their inhibition of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A is correctly described by tight-binding rather than Michaelis-Menton kinetics. Both proteins were found to act as slow, tight-binding inhibitors of the enzyme. These steady-state velocities also showed that both the thyroid and liver inhibitors were competitive inhibitors of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A with Ki's of 0.1 and 0.4 nM, respectively. In contrast to interpretations based on Michaelis-Menton assumptions that show non-competitive inhibition, these results suggest that an enzyme:inhibitor:substrate complex does not exist.

Agents that elevate cAMP levels in platelets decrease thrombin binding.

The effect of high intracellular levels of cAMP on the ability of rabbit and human platelets to bind and respond to thrombin was examined. Control rabbit platelets differed from human platelets in two interesting respects: they showed thrombin-dependent up-regulation of thrombin binding, but also a 3- to 5-fold lower thrombin-binding capacity. Nevertheless, treatment with prostaglandin E1 + theophylline or with forskolin decreased thrombin binding to both rabbit and human platelets by 60 to 70%. This effect was associated with a marked increase in the level of cAMP and seemed to depend on a decrease in number rather than affinity of thrombin-binding sites. Changes in thrombin binding correlated closely with changes in thrombin-stimulated incorporation of 32Pi into phosphatidic acid and a 40-kDa protein. However, regardless of the amount of thrombin that bound to treated platelets, thrombin-stimulated phosphorylation of a 20-kDa protein and serotonin secretion were severely inhibited. Thus, increased levels of platelet cAMP are associated with a reduced ability to bind and respond to thrombin. However, thrombin binding to platelets correlates more closely with some responses than others, presumably because cAMP inhibits additional platelet reactions.

Protein tyrosine kinase regulates the number of renal secretory K channels.

The apical small conductance (SK) channel plays a key role in K secretion in the cortical collecting duct (CCD). A high-K intake stimulates renal K secretion and involves a significant increase in the number of SK channels in the apical membrane of the CCD. We used the patch-clamp technique to examine the role of protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) in regulating the activity of SK channels in the CCD. The application of 100 microM genistein stimulated SK channels in 11 of 12 patches in CCDs from rats on a K-deficient diet, and the mean increase in NP(o), a product of channel number (N) and open probability (P(o)), was 2.5. In contrast, inhibition of PTK had no effect in tubules from animals on a high-K diet in all 10 experiments. Western blot analysis further shows that the level of cSrc, a nonreceptor type of PTK, is 261% higher in the kidneys from rats on a K-deficient diet than those on a high-K diet. However, the effect of cSrc was not the result of direct inhibition of channel itself, because addition of exogenous cSrc had no effect on SK channels in inside-out patches. In cell-attached patches, application of herbimycin A increased channel activity in 14 of 16 patches, and the mean increase in NP(o) was 2.4 in tubules from rats on a K-deficient diet. In contrast, herbimycin A had no effect on channel activity in any of 15 tubules from rats on a high-K diet. Furthermore, herbimycin A pretreatment increased NP(o) per patch from the control value (0.4) to 2.25 in CCDs from rats on a K-deficient diet, whereas herbimycin failed to increase channel activity (NP(o): control, 3.10; herbimycin A, 3.25) in the CCDs from animals on a high-K diet. We conclude that PTK is involved in regulating the number of apical SK channels in the kidney.

Threonine phosphorylation of the beta 3 integrin cytoplasmic tail, at a site recognized by PDK1 and Akt/PKB in vitro, regulates Shc binding.

The mechanism of outside-in signaling by integrins parallels that for growth factor receptors. In both pathways, phosphorylation of a cytoplasmic segment on tyrosine generates a docking site for proteins containing Src homology 2 (SH2) and phosphotyrosine binding domains. We recently observed that phosphorylation of a threonine (Thr-753), six amino acids proximal to tyrosine 759 in beta(3) of the platelet specific integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3), inhibits outside-in signaling through this receptor. We hypothesized that the presence of phosphothreonine 753 either renders beta(3) a poor substrate for tyrosine kinases or inhibits the docking capabilities of the tyrosyl-phosphorylated form of beta(3.) The first alternative was tested by comparing the phosphorylation of beta(3) model peptides by the tyrosine kinase pp60(c-src) and we found that the presence of a phosphate group on a residue corresponding to Thr-753 did not detectably alter the kinetics of tyrosine phosphorylation. However, the presence of phosphate on this threonine inhibited the binding of Shc to tyrosyl-phosphorylated beta(3) peptide. The inhibitory effect of the phosphate group could be mimicked by substituting an aspartic acid for Thr-753, suggesting that a negative charge at this position modulates the binding of Shc and possibly other phosphotyrosine binding domain- and SH2-containing proteins. A survey of several protein kinases revealed that Thr-753 was avidly phosphorylated by PDK1 and Akt/PKB in vitro. These observations suggest that activation of PDK1 and/or Akt/PKB in platelets may modulate the binding activity and/or specificity of beta(3) for signaling molecules.

PKA-induced stimulation of ROMK1 channel activity is governed by both tethering and non-tethering domains of an A kinase anchor protein.

We have used the patch-clamp technique to explore the role of A Kinase Anchor Proteins (AKAP) in mediating the effect of cAMP on ROMK1 channels expressed in the Xenopus oocytes. Addition of membrane permeant cAMP analogs increased channel activity only in oocytes injected with ROMK1 and AKAP79 cRNA but had no effect on channel activity in oocytes injected with ROMK1 alone. Using the two-electrode voltage clamp technique, we determined that application of H89, a potent inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA), abolished the stimulatory effect of cAMP/forskolin. To investigate the role of AKAP specificity in conferring cAMP responses to ROMK1 channels, we examined channel activity in oocytes expressing ROMK1 and either AKAP18, AKAP-KL or AKAP75. Addition of cAMP failed to increase channel current in oocytes expressing ROMK1 and either AKAP18 or AKAP-KL. In contrast, cAMP increased ROMK1 channel activity by 33% in oocytes coexpressing AKAP75, the bovine homologue of AKAP79. The effect of cAMP on ROMK1 in oocytes coexpressing AKAP75 is inhibited by H89. Since all three AKAPs bind PKAII, the results suggest that a unique structural domain in AKAP75/79 collaborates with the PKAII binding site and enables a productive association of PKA with ROMK1 channels. Deletion of either the membrane targeting region of AKAP75 (AKAP45) or PKAII binding domain of AKAP75 (AKAP75DeltaC) abolished the effects of forskolin on ROMK1 channels. This suggests that the membrane targeting and the PKA binding domains of AKAP75 are essential for the effect of cAMP. However, the nature of the AKAP, that interacts with ROMK1 in the native tissue, remains to be determined because AKAP75/79 are not expressed in the kidney. We conclude that the regulation of ROMK1 channels by PKA requires the involvement of the cell membrane-directed AKAPs that are able to specifically link PKA to the target channel protein.

Nuclear localization of type II cAMP-dependent protein kinase during limb cartilage differentiation is associated with a novel developmentally regulated A-kinase anchoring protein.

Differentiation of chicken limb cartilage is accompanied by a rise in intracellular cyclic AMP, an inducer of cartilage-specific gene expression. A basic approximately 35-kDa protein, designated p35, is the major nuclear substrate for cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) during this process. Here we show that whereas both precartilage and cartilage nuclei contain p35, only precartilage nuclei contain PKA. The phosphorylation of p35 in isolated cell fractions was used as an index of changes in the cellular compartmentalization of components of PKA during chondrogenesis. Both the catalytic subunit and type II regulatory subunit (RII) of PKA were present in the precartilage nuclear fraction, but were undetectable or present in only trace amounts in the cartilage nuclear fraction. Furthermore, a novel approximately 150-kDa A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP), which binds to RII, was detected in the nuclear matrix of precartilage nuclei but, like RII, was virtually absent in the nuclei of fully differentiated cartilage cells. In limb mesenchymal cells undergoing chondrogenesis in culture a corresponding set of changes occurred: cartilage differentiation was accompanied by a marked reduction in the amounts of both nuclear RII and nAKAP150. These observations indicate that type II PKA holoenzyme is imported into the mesenchymal cell nucleus prior to chondrogenesis, an event that appears to depend on the activity of the developmentally regulated nAKAP150.

Resveratrol decreases early signaling events in washed platelets but has little effect on platelet in whole blood.

Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound found in red wines, is believed to be a contributor in decreasing the incidence of coronary heart disease. Although its primary target is unknown, it blocks aggregation of washed platelets by an ill-defined mechanism. We show that resveratrol, at 10-50 microM, blocked aggregation induced by collagen (5 microg/ml), thrombin (0.2 units/ml), and ADP (10 microM). This affect was not overcome by adding exogenous human fibrinogen to the assay, suggesting that an early (wave I) signaling step in the alpha(IIb)beta(3) activation cascade was impaired. To explore this possibility we examined the effect of resveratrol on activation of MAP kinases. In the platelet, MAP kinases become activated as a consequence of agonist binding and not of aggregation, which itself induces signaling events. In fact, we find that collagen-induced activation of MAP kinases is superinduced in the presence of RGDS, an aggregation-blocking peptide. Resveratrol, at concentrations of 10 microM and greater, inhibited MAP kinase activation induced by collagen (in the absence and presence of RGDS peptide), thrombin, and ADP. These data indicate that resveratrol blocks receptor-mediated signaling events in washed platelets. In comparison, resveratrol has poor antiplatelet activity in whole blood. Under these conditions aggregation was not affected by 50-100 microM resveratrol. Concentrations of 200 microM resveratrol were needed to cause a 30-60% decrease in platelet aggregation in whole blood. Together these studies suggest that resveratrol is a potent inhibitor of platelet signaling responses, but its antiplatelet activity is weakened or masked in circulation. Thus, although resveratrol may function as a protective agent of coronary heart disease, its affects are not solely attributed to its effects on platelets in circulation.

Binding and molecular weight properties of the insulin receptor from omental and subcutaneous adipocytes in human obesity.

The insulin binding properties and the molecular weights of the insulin receptor and its insulin binding subunit were studied in omental and subcutaneous adipocytes prepared from obese- and normal-weight subjects. Insulin binding by such adipocytes was decreased in obesity when the binding activity was expressed per unit of cell surface area. No significant difference from the lean controls was evident, however, when binding was calculated on a per cell basis, indicating that the total receptor content of the cells from the obese subjects was not altered. In addition, the normal difference in the receptor binding affinities previously reported between omental and subcutaneous cells from lean individuals was unaffected by the obese condition. Studies of the molecular weight of the non-reduced insulin receptor in fat cell membranes prepared from pieces of omental and subcutaneous fat demonstrated a major receptor species of 390-425K Mr. In contrast, adipocytes isolated by collagenase treatment of the fat had heterogeneous non-reduced receptor species of Mr 355K, 285K and small amounts of 427K and 182K. Although different non-reduced receptor species were evident depending on the adipocyte receptor preparation (e.g. isolated adipocytes or fat cell membranes), no differences were found between obese and lean controls or between subcutaneous and omental receptors when the appropriate comparisons were made. Upon sulphydryl reduction, all receptor preparations had a major binding subunit of 125K Mr. In conclusion, obesity is characterized by a dilution of the insulin receptor over the adipocyte cell surface in the absence of a change in total cellular content of receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)