Transcriptional regulation of pig GYS1 gene by glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK3ß).

Glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK3ß) is a ubiquitous serine/threonine kinase and has important roles in glycogen metabolism biosynthesis. Studies have revealed that GSK3ß can directly regulate the glycogen synthase activity, yet little is known about the regulation of GSK3ß on GYS1 gene transcription. Here, we show that overexpression of GSK3ß decreased the mRNA expression level of GYS1. Then we cloned approximately 1.5 kb of pig GYS1 gene promoter region, generated sequential deletion constructs, and evaluated their activity. A gradual increase of the promoter activity was seen with increasing length of the promoter sequence, reaching its highest activity to the sequence corresponding to nt -350 to +224, and then decreased. However, the activities of constructed promoter fragments show different responses to GSK3ß co-transfection. By analyzing a series of GYS1 promoter reporter constructs, we have defined two crucial regions (-1488 to -539, -350 to -147) that are responsible for GSK3ß-induced transcriptional repression. Furthermore, the ChIP results revealed that only the first and second NF-κB sites of GYS1 promoter could bind to p65, and overexpression of GSK3ß induced a significant decrease in p65 binding to the second NF-κB binding site, suggesting that GSK3ß may regulate expression of GYS1 gene through binding to the second rather than the first NF-κB site. These data suggest that the NF-κB plays important roles in the transcriptional activity of pig GYS1 gene regulated by GSK3ß.

Dysregulation of muscle glycogen synthase in recovery from exercise in type 2 diabetes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Insulin and exercise stimulate skeletal muscle glycogen synthase (GS) activity by dephosphorylation and changes in kinetic properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of insulin, exercise and post-exercise insulin stimulation on GS phosphorylation, activity and substrate affinity in obesity and type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Obese men with type 2 diabetes (n = 13) and weight-matched controls (n = 14) underwent euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamps in the rested state and 3 h after 60 min of cycling (70% maximal pulmonary oxygen uptake [VO2max]). Biopsies from vastus lateralis muscle were obtained before and after clamps, and before and immediately after exercise. RESULTS: Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was lower in diabetic patients vs obese controls with or without prior exercise. Post exercise, glucose partitioning shifted away from oxidation and towards storage in both groups. Insulin and, more potently, exercise increased GS activity (fractional velocity [FV]) and substrate affinity in both groups. Both stimuli caused dephosphorylation of GS at sites 3a + 3b, with exercise additionally decreasing phosphorylation at sites 2 + 2a. In both groups, changes in GS activity, substrate affinity and dephosphorylation at sites 3a + 3b by exercise were sustained 3 h post exercise and further enhanced by insulin. Post exercise, reduced GS activity and substrate affinity as well as increased phosphorylation at sites 2 + 2a were found in diabetic patients vs obese controls. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Exercise-induced activation of muscle GS in obesity and type 2 diabetes involves dephosphorylation of GS at sites 3a + 3b and 2 + 2a and enhanced substrate affinity, which is likely to facilitate glucose partitioning towards storage. Lower GS activity and increased phosphorylation at sites 2 + 2a in type 2 diabetes in the recovery period imply an impaired response to exercise.

Over-expression of muscle glycogen synthase in human diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major complication of diabetic patients and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Glomerular dysfunction plays a critical role in DN, but deterioration of renal function also correlates with tubular alterations. Human DN is characterized by glycogen accumulation in tubules. Although this pathological feature has long been recognized, little information exists about the triggering mechanism. In this study, we detected over-expression of muscle glycogen synthase (MGS) in diabetic human kidney. This enhanced expression suggests the participation of MGS in renal metabolic changes associated with diabetes. HK2 human renal cell line exhibited an intrinsic ability to synthesize glycogen, which was enhanced after over-expression of protein targeting to glycogen. A correlation between increased glycogen amount and cell death was observed. Based on a previous transcriptome study on human diabetic kidney disease, significant differences in the expression of genes involved in glycogen metabolism were analyzed. We propose that glucose, but not insulin, is the main modulator of MGS activity in HK2 cells, suggesting that blood glucose control is the best approach to modulate renal glycogen-induced damage during long-term diabetes.

Expression and purification of functional human glycogen synthase-1:glycogenin-1 complex in insect cells.

We report the successful expression and purification of functional human muscle glycogen synthase (GYS1) in complex with human glycogenin-1 (GN1). Stoichiometric GYS1:GN1 complex was produced by co-expression of GYS1 and GN1 using a bicistronic pFastBac™-Dual expression vector, followed by affinity purification and subsequent size-exclusion chromatography. Mass spectrometry analysis identified that GYS1 is phosphorylated at several well-characterised and uncharacterised Ser/Thr residues. Biochemical analysis, including activity ratio (in the absence relative to that in the presence of glucose-6-phosphate) measurement, covalently attached phosphate estimation as well as phosphatase treatment, revealed that recombinant GYS1 is substantially more heavily phosphorylated than would be observed in intact human or rodent muscle tissues. A large quantity of highly-pure stoichiometric GYS1:GN1 complex will be useful to study its structural and biochemical properties in the future, which would reveal mechanistic insights into its functional role in glycogen biosynthesis.

Toll-like receptor 2 activation by Chlamydia trachomatis is plasmid dependent, and plasmid-responsive chromosomal loci are coordinately regulated in response to glucose limitation by C. trachomatis but not by C. muridarum.

We previously demonstrated that plasmid-deficient Chlamydia muridarum retains the ability to infect the murine genital tract but does not elicit oviduct pathology because it fails to activate Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). We derived a plasmid-cured derivative of the human genital isolate Chlamydia trachomatis D/UW-3/Cx, strain CTD153, which also fails to activate TLR2, indicating this virulence phenotype is associated with plasmid loss in both C. trachomatis and C. muridarum. As observed with plasmid-deficient C. muridarum, CTD153 displayed impaired accumulation of glycogen within inclusions. Transcriptional profiling of the plasmid-deficient strains by using custom microarrays identified a conserved group of chromosomal loci, the expression of which was similarly controlled in plasmid-deficient C. muridarum strains CM972 and CM3.1 and plasmid-deficient C. trachomatis CTD153. However, although expression of glycogen synthase, encoded by glgA, was greatly reduced in CTD153, it was unaltered in plasmid-deficient C. muridarum strains. Thus, additional plasmid-associated factors are required for glycogen accumulation by this chlamydial species. Furthermore, in C. trachomatis, glgA and other plasmid-responsive chromosomal loci (PRCLs) were transcriptionally responsive to glucose limitation, indicating that additional regulatory elements may be involved in the coordinated expression of these candidate virulence effectors. Glucose-limited C. trachomatis displayed reduced TLR2 stimulation in an in vitro assay. During human chlamydial infection, glucose limitation may decrease chlamydial virulence through its effects on plasmid-responsive chromosomal genes.

R3F, a novel membrane-associated glycogen targeting subunit of protein phosphatase 1 regulates glycogen synthase in astrocytoma cells in response to glucose and extracellular signals.

Abnormal regulation of brain glycogen metabolism is believed to underlie insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, which may be serious or fatal in diabetic patients on insulin therapy. A key regulator of glycogen levels is glycogen targeted protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), which dephosphorylates and activates glycogen synthase (GS) leading to an increase in glycogen synthesis. In this study, we show that the gene PPP1R3F expresses a glycogen-binding protein (R3F) of 82.8 kDa, present at the high levels in rodent brain. R3F binds to PP1 through a classical 'RVxF' binding motif and substitution of Phe39 for Ala in this motif abrogates PP1 binding. A hydrophobic domain at the carboxy-terminus of R3F has similarities to the putative membrane binding domain near the carboxy-terminus of striated muscle glycogen targeting subunit G(M)/R(GL), and R3F is shown to bind not only to glycogen but also to membranes. GS interacts with PP1-R3F and is hyperphosphorylated at glycogen synthase kinase-3 sites (Ser640 and Ser644) when bound to R3F(Phe39Ala). Deprivation of glucose or stimulation with adenosine or noradrenaline leads to an increased phosphorylation of PP1-R3F bound GS at Ser640 and Ser644 curtailing glycogen synthesis and facilitating glycogen degradation to provide glucose in astrocytoma cells. Adenosine stimulation also modulates phosphorylation of R3F at Ser14/Ser18.

Immunochemical Study of the Effect of F2Glc on Glycogen Synthase Translocation and Glycogen Synthesis in Isolated Rat Hepatocytes.

The compound 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-α-D-glucopyranosyl fluoride (F2Glc), which is a nonmetabolized superior glucose analogue, is a potent inhibitor of glycogen phosphorylase and pharmacological properties are reported. Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) and glycogen synthase (GS) are responsible of the degradation and synthesis, respectively, of glycogen which is a polymer of glucose units that provides a readily available source of energy in mammals. GP and GS are two key enzymes that modulate cellular glucose and glycogen levels; therefore, these proteins are suggested as potential targets for the treatment of diseases related to glycogen metabolism disorders. We studied by Western Blot technique that F2Glc decreased GP activity, and we also showed that F2Glc did not affect GS activity and its translocation from a uniform cytosolic distribution to the hepatocyte periphery, which is crucial for glycogen synthesis, using immunoblotting and immunofluorescence labeling techniques. F2Glc specifically inhibits glycogenolysis pathway and permits a greater deposition of glycogen. These observations open up the possibility of further develop drugs that act specifically on GP. The ability to selectively inhibit GP, which is a key enzyme for the release of glucose from the hepatic glycogen reserve, may represent a new approach for the treatment of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes.

Effect of fasting and streptozotocin diabetes on insulin binding and action in the isolated mouse soleus muscle.

To investigate whether skeletal muscle is resistant to insulin in insulinopenic states, insulin binding and biological effects on glucose utilization were studied in isolated soleus muscles from 24- or 48-h-fasted mice and from streptozotocin-diabetic mice. Both 48-h fasting and diabetes led to an increase in insulin binding at insulin concentrations <3.4 nM. In both states, submaximal concentrations of insulin were also more effective in stimulating muscle 2-deoxyglucose uptake and glycogen synthesis, and in activating glycogen synthase. This resulted in a two- to fourfold leftward shift in the insulin dose-response curves in muscles from both groups compared with control. No change in insulin binding or biological effects was detected in muscles from 24-h-fasted mice. Maximal insulin effectiveness on 2-deoxyglucose uptake and glycolysis was either unchanged or only slightly enhanced in 48-h-fasted mice and in diabetic animals, compared with controls. Maximal insulin effects on glycogen synthesis and glycogen synthase activation were unaltered by fasting or diabetes. Basal glucose uptake and glycolysis were similar in all groups of mice. In conclusion, when soleus muscles from 48-h-fasted mice and from diabetic mice are compared with controls it can be observed that, (a) at low insulin concentrations insulin binding is increased and insulin effectiveness in stimulating glucose transport and metabolism is enhanced; (b) biological responses to maximally effective insulin concentrations are either unaltered or slightly increased; (c) basal rates of glucose transport and metabolism are essentially unaltered. These results indicate that in insulinopenic states soleus muscle is not insulin resistant in vitro but is hypersensitive to low concentrations of insulin, and normally responsive to maximally effective doses of the hormone.

Mechanism of enhanced insulin sensitivity in athletes. Increased blood flow, muscle glucose transport protein (GLUT-4) concentration, and glycogen synthase activity.

UNLABELLED: We examined the mechanisms of enhanced insulin sensitivity in 9 male healthy athletes (age, 25 +/- 1 yr; maximal aerobic power [VO2max], 57.6 +/- 1.0 ml/kg per min) as compared with 10 sedentary control subjects (age, 28 +/- 2 yr; VO2max, 44.1 +/- 2.3 ml/kg per min). In the athletes, whole body glucose disposal (240-min insulin clamp) was 32% (P < 0.01) and nonoxidative glucose disposal (indirect calorimetry) was 62% higher (P < 0.01) than in the controls. Muscle glycogen content increased by 39% in the athletes (P < 0.05) but did not change in the controls during insulin clamp. VO2max correlated with whole body (r = 0.60, P < 0.01) and nonoxidative glucose disposal (r = 0.64, P < 0.001). In the athletes forearm blood flow was 64% greater (P < 0.05) than in the controls, whereas their muscle capillary density was normal. Basal blood flow was related to VO2max (r = 0.63, P < 0.05) and glucose disposal during insulin infusion (r = 0.65, P < 0.05). The forearm glucose uptake in the athletes was increased by 3.3-fold (P < 0.01) in the basal state and by 73% (P < 0.05) during insulin infusion. Muscle glucose transport protein (GLUT-4) concentration was 93% greater in the athletes than controls (P < 0.01) and it was related to VO2max (r = 0.61, P < 0.01) and to whole body glucose disposal (r = 0.60, P < 0.01). Muscle glycogen synthase activity was 33% greater in the athletes than in the controls (P < 0.05), and the basal glycogen synthase fractional activity was closely related to blood flow (r = 0.88, P < 0.001). IN CONCLUSION: (a) athletes are characterized by enhanced muscle blood flow and glucose uptake. (b) The cellular mechanisms of glucose uptake are increased GLUT-4 protein content, glycogen synthase activity, and glucose storage as glycogen. (c) A close correlation between glycogen synthase fractional activity and blood flow suggests that they are causally related in promoting glucose disposal.

Impaired activity and gene expression of hexokinase II in muscle from non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients.

After entering the muscle cell, glucose is immediately and irreversibly phosphorylated to glucose-6-phosphate by hexokinases (HK) I and II. Previous studies in rodents have shown that HKII may be the dominant HK in skeletal muscle. Reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and reduced glucose-6-phosphate concentrations in muscle have been found in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients when examined during a hyperglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. These findings [correction of finding] are consistent with a defect in glucose transport and/or phosphorylation. In the present study comprising 29 NIDDM patients and 25 matched controls, we tested the hypothesis that HKII activity and gene expression are impaired in vastus lateralis muscle of NIDDM patients when examined in the fasting state. HKII activity in a supernatant of muscle extract accounted for 28 +/- 5% in NIDDM patients and 40 +/- 5% in controls (P = 0.08) of total muscle HK activity when measured at a glucose media of 0.11 mmol/liter and 31 +/- 4 and 47 +/- 7% (P = 0.02) when measured at 0.11 mmol/liter of glucose. HKII mRNA, HKII immunoreactive protein level, and HKII activity were significantly decreased in NIDDM patients (P < 0.0001, P = 0.03, and P = 0.02, respectively) together with significantly decreased glycogen synthase mRNA level and total glycogen synthase activity (P = 0.02 and P = 0.02, respectively). In the entire study population HKII activity estimated at 0.11 and 11.0 mM glucose was inversely correlated with fasting plasma glucose concentrations (r = -0.45, P = 0.004; r = -0.54, P < 0.0001, respectively) and fasting plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentrations (r = -0.46, P = 0.003; r = -0.37, P = 0.02, respectively). In conclusion, NIDDM patients are characterized by a reduced activity and a reduced gene expression of HKII in muscle which may be secondary to the metabolic peturbations. HKII contributes with about one-third of total HK activity in a supernatant of human vastus lateralis muscle.

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha knock-in mice exhibit early liver glycogen storage and reduced susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma.

The CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) is vital for establishing normal hepatic energy homeostasis and moderating hepatocellular growth. CEBPA loss-of-function mutations identified in acute myeloid leukemia patients support a tumor suppressor role for C/EBPalpha. Recent work showed reductions of C/EBPalpha levels in human hepatocellular carcinoma with the reductions correlating to tumor size and progression. We investigated the potential of reactivating c/ebpalpha expression during hepatic carcinogenesis to prevent tumor cell growth. We have developed a c/ebpalpha knock-in mouse in which a single-copy c/ebpalpha is regulated by one allele of the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) gene promoter. The knock-in mice are physically indistinguishable from wild-type (WT) controls. However, knock-in animals were found to deposit fetal hepatic glycogen earlier than WT animals. Quantitative real-time PCR confirmed early c/ebpalpha expression and early glycogen synthase gene activation in knock-in fetuses. We then used diethylnitrosamine to induce hepatocellular carcinoma in our animals. Diethylnitrosamine produced half the number of hepatocellular nodules in knock-in mice as in WT mice. Immunohistochemistry showed reduced C/EBPalpha content in WT nodules whereas knock-in nodules stained strongly for C/EBPalpha. The p21 protein was examined because it mediates a C/EBPalpha growth arrest pathway. Nuclear p21 was absent in WT nodules whereas cytoplasmic p21 was abundant; knock-in nodules were positive for nuclear p21. Interestingly, only C/EBPalpha-positive nodules were positive for nuclear p21, suggesting that C/EBPalpha may be required to direct p21 to the cell nucleus to inhibit growth. Our data establish that controlled C/EBPalpha production can inhibit liver tumor growth in vivo.

Histochemical profile of mouse hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas induced by a single dose of diethylnitrosamine.

In continuation of earlier studies on murine neoplastic liver lesions, we characterized by histochemical methods the phenotype of hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas induced by single injections of diethylnitrosamine (1.25, 2.5, or 5.0 micrograms/g of body weight) in 15-day-old C57BL/6 x male C3H F1 mice. The hepatocellular adenomas were composed predominantly of basophilic cells but stored excessive amounts of fat and glycogen in large portions of the tumors. Irrespective of the carcinogenic dose, the adenomas showed a consistent histochemical pattern. Glycogen synthase and phosphorylase were highly active in the hepatocytes that stored glycogen. In cells poor in, or free of, this polysaccharide, these enzymes were only moderately active or even inactive. In glycogen-storing parts of the adenomas, the activity of adenylate cyclase was reduced compared with normal liver parenchyma, but in fat-storing portions it was elevated. In a few adenomas, uniform increase in adenylate cyclase activity could be encountered. The levels of ATPase, acid phosphatase, and glucose-6-phosphatase were either increased or decreased. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase showed an increased activity in all adenomas compared with preneoplastic foci, which in turn exhibited a higher glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity than the surrounding parenchyma or the liver of untreated controls. The hepatocellular carcinomas showed remarkable histochemical changes compared with adenomas. The levels of fat and glycogen and the activities of glycogen synthase, phosphorylase, and in most cases also that of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, were reduced significantly. In contrast, adenylate cyclase, glucose-6-phosphatase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and also alkaline phosphatase showed a striking elevation in developing carcinomas. Similar, although more pronounced, histochemical changes were seen in the advanced hepatocellular carcinomas. These observations indicated that progression from adenomas to hepatocellular carcinomas was associated with a change in the activity of several enzymes involved in cell membrane function, glycogen metabolism, the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, and glycolysis.

Impaired glycogen synthase activating system in human diabetic polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

The effects of diabetes mellitus on glycogen synthase and its activating system (synthase phosphatase) were studied using human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). PMN were obtained from control subjects and diabetic patients by a gradient sedimentation technique. Enzyme activities of endogenous synthase-l and total synthase were not statistically different in diabetic and control cells. For measurement of endogenous synthase phosphatase, cells were sonicated in 50 mM Tris buffer (pH 7.5) and incubated at 30 degrees C. Conversion of synthase-D to -l and the maximum percent synthase-l attained were decreased in homogenates of diabetic cells. There was no correlation between the plasma glucose concentration and the rate of conversion of synthase-D to -l. Synthase phosphatase activities were also measured using a purified synthase-D substrate. Under these experimental conditions, glycogen synthase phosphatase activities did not differ in control and diabetic cells. These results are consistent with a diabetes-induced defect in conversion of endogenous synthase-D to -l at the level of the synthase enzyme rather than at that of the activating phosphatase.

Expression of glucokinase in cultured human muscle cells confers insulin-independent and glucose concentration-dependent increases in glucose disposal and storage.

Insulin resistance, as is found in skeletal muscle of individuals with obesity and NIDDM, appears to involve a reduced capacity of the hormone to stimulate glucose uptake and/or phosphorylation. The glucose phosphorylation step, as catalyzed by hexokinase II, has been described as rate limiting for glucose disposal in muscle, but overexpression of this enzyme under control of a muscle-specific promoter in transgenic mice has had limited metabolic impact. In the current study, we investigated in a cultured muscle model whether expression of glucokinase, which in contrast to hexokinase II is not inhibited by glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P), would have a pronounced metabolic impact. We used a recombinant adenovirus containing the cDNA-encoding rat liver glucokinase (AdCMV-GKL) to increase the glucose phosphorylating activity in cultured human muscle cells by fourfold. G-6-P levels increased in AdCMV-GKL-treated cells in a glucose concentration-dependent manner over the range of 1-30 mmol/l, whereas the much smaller increases in G-6-P in control cells were maximal at glucose concentrations <5 mmol/l. Further, cells expressing glucokinase accumulated 17 times more 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate than control cells. In AdCMV-GKL-treated cells, the time-dependent rise in G-6-P correlated with an increase in the activity ratio of glycogen synthase. AdCMV-GKL-treated cells also exhibited a 2.5- to 3-fold increase in glycogen content and a four- to fivefold increase in glycolytic flux, proportional to the increase in glucose phosphorylating capacity. All of these observations were made in the absence of insulin. Thus we concluded that expression of glucokinase in cultured human muscle cells results in proportional increases in insulin-independent glucose disposal, and that muscle glucose storage and utilization becomes controlled in a glucose concentration-dependent manner in AdCMV-GKL-treated cells. These results encourage testing whether delivery of glucokinase to muscle in vivo has an impact on glycemic control, which could be a method for circumventing the failure of insulin to stimulate glucose uptake and/or phosphorylation in muscle normally in insulin-resistant subjects.

Insulin receptor regulation and desensitization in rat hepatoma cells. Concomitant changes in receptor number and in binding affinity.

We have studied the effects of chronic exposure to insulin on the binding and the biologic activity of the hormone using a well-differentiated cell line (Fao) derived from the Reuber H35 rat hepatoma. Prolonged incubation (24 h) with 10(-6) M insulin produced a 20-25% decrease in binding of tracer concentrations (2 X 10(-11) M) of 125I-insulin, and a leftward shift of the curve for inhibition by unlabeled insulin. Scatchard analysis of the binding data revealed that a 75-80% decrease in the number of binding sites had occurred in the insulin-treated cells, but was accompanied by an increase in apparent receptor affinity. Kinetic studies suggested negative cooperativity in insulin binding and indicated that the change in affinity was accounted for by a decrease in the rate of dissociation. Both the decrease in receptor number and the increase in affinity were dependent on time, temperature, and the insulin concentration during the treatment period. Both effects were also blocked by cycloheximide, suggesting that they required new protein synthesis. Plasma membranes isolated from downregulated cells retained both the change in receptor number and affinity. Anti-receptor antibodies present in two human sera (B-2 and B-9) inhibited 125I-insulin binding in downregulated cells with equal or slightly greater sensitivity than in control cells. The changes in insulin binding were accompanied by changes in insulin's biologic effects in these cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Insulin-stimulated muscle glucose clearance in patients with NIDDM. Effects of one-legged physical training.

Physical training increases insulin action in skeletal muscle in healthy men. In non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), only minor improvements in whole-body insulin action are seen. We studied the effect of training on insulin-mediated glucose clearance rates (GCRs) in the whole body and in leg muscle in seven patients with NIDDM and in eight healthy control subjects. One-legged training was performed for 10 weeks. GCR in whole body and in both legs were measured before, the day after, and 6 days after training by hyperinsulinemic (28, 88, and 480 mU x min(-1) x m(-2)), isoglycemic clamps combined with the leg balance technique. On the 5th day of detraining, one bout of exercise was performed with the nontraining leg. Muscle biopsies were obtained before and after training. Whole-body GCRs were always lower (P < 0.05) in NIDDM patients compared with control subjects and increased (P < 0.05) in response to training. In untrained muscle, GCR was lower (P < 0.05) in NIDDM patients (13 +/- 4, 91 +/- 9, and 148 +/- 12 ml/min) compared with control subjects (56 +/- 12, 126 +/- 14, and 180 +/- 14 ml/min). It Increased (P < 0.05) in both groups in response to training (43 +/- 10, 144 +/- 17, and 205 +/- 24 [NIDDM patients] and 84 +/- 10, 212 +/- 20, and 249 +/- 16 ml/min [control subjects]). Acute exercise did not increase leg GCR. In NIDDM patients, the effect of training was lost after 6 days, while the effect lasted longer in control subjects. Training increased (P < 0.05) muscle lactate production and glucose storage as well as glycogen synthase (GS) mRNA in both groups. We conclude that training increases insulin action in skeletal muscle in control subjects and NIDDM patients, and in NIDDM patients normal values may be obtained. The increase in trained muscle cannot fully account for the increase in whole-body GCR. Improvements in GCR involve enhancement of insulin-mediated increase in muscle blood flow and the ability to extract glucose. They are accompanied by enhanced nonoxidative glucose disposal and increases in GS mRNA. The improvements in insulin action are short-lived.

Acquired defects of glycogen synthase activity in cultured human skeletal muscle cells: influence of high glucose and insulin levels.

To determine whether defects of muscle glycogen synthase (GS) activity can be acquired by exposure to elevated glucose or insulin levels, human skeletal muscle cells obtained by needle biopsy from normal control subjects were grown in culture for 4-6 weeks followed by 4 days of fusion and differentiation in media containing either normal (5.5 mmol/l glucose and 22 pmol/l insulin) or increased concentrations of glucose (20 mmol/l), insulin (30 micromol/l), or both. After fusion in normal media, acute stimulation by 33 nmol/l insulin for 1 h increased GS fractional velocity (FV) approximately twofold (from 9.01 +/- 1.26 to 16.31 +/- 2.40, P < 0.05). Increasing the media glucose concentration alone to 20 mmol/l during fusion had no effect on basal FV but caused a marginal impairment of the insulin-stimulated GS response (from 8.51 +/- 1.33 to 12.99 +/- 1.90, P = 0.08). Increasing the media insulin concentration to 30 micromol/l during fusion at 5.5 mmol/l glucose also did not alter basal GS FV (10.61 +/- 1.69%) but completely abolished the normal insulin-stimulated increase in GS activity (to 11.63 +/- 1.55%, NS). The combination of high insulin (30 micromol/l) and high glucose (20 mmol/l) during fusion had no greater effect on the FV of either basal (11.66 +/- 2.16%, NS) or insulin-stimulated (9.20 +/- 1.80%, NS) GS activity than high insulin alone. Fusion in hyperinsulinemic media altered the kinetic parameters of GS with a near doubling of the basal Km0.1 and Vmax0.1 for uridinediphospho-glucose. Hyperinsulinemia also totally prevented the normal insulin-stimulated threefold increase in the Vmax0.1 and the 65% decrease in the A0.5 for glucose-6-phosphate. GS mRNA and protein expression, determined by RNase protection assay and immunoblotting, respectively, were unaffected by changes in media conditions. We conclude that exposure of human skeletal muscle cells primarily to high insulin induces severe insulin resistance through multiple acquired posttranslational defects, which affect both the kinetic characteristics and absolute activity of the GS enzyme.

Defective insulin action in fibroblasts from noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients with Gln1152 insulin receptor mutation.

Insulin action was investigated in cultured skin fibroblasts from two consanguineous patients with a heterozygous point mutation in the insulin receptor kinase (Arg1152-Gln). In spite of normal binding, Gln1152 insulin receptor exhibited 20% increased basal kinase activity, but significantly reduced insulin-dependent autophosphorylation and kinase activity compared to controls from either weight-matched noninsulin-dependent diabetic patients (n = 4) or normal subjects (n = 5). In fibroblasts from the mutant patients, basal alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) uptake, cytochalasin-B (CB) plasma membrane binding, and glycogen synthase activity were increased to levels similar to those in maximally insulin-stimulated control cells. No insulin stimulation of these metabolic effects was detected in the mutant cells. In spite of the high basal 2-DG uptake and CB binding and the lack of further insulin response, fibroblasts from the mutant patients responded to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate with a further 50% increase in 2-DG uptake and CB binding. The magnitude of the effects of insulin and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in control cells were nearly identical. We conclude that the Gln1152 insulin receptor impairs insulin regulation of metabolic responses in patient cells. Its presence in fibroblasts from the mutant patients appears to be accompanied by an increased pool of glucose transporters.

Sequence of the 5'-flanking region of the gene encoding human muscle glycogen synthase.

The 5'-flanking region of the gene encoding human muscle glycogen synthase was isolated from a human placental genomic library and sequenced. The sequence is TATA-less and G+C-rich, and putative transcription-controlling sequences were identified. Furthermore, a simple (dC-dA)n sequence repeat was identified about 4 kb upstream from the start codon. This sequence was highly polymorphic and five alleles were typed in the Japanese population using the polymerase chain reaction.

Gene expression during the differentiation of myogenic cells of the L6 line.

The problem of the mechanistic relationship among the different phenotypic expressions in an established myogenic line was approached by blocking cell fusion at different developmental stages, by addition of cytochalasin B. The addition of the drug to cultures at the time when the first two myotubes appeared on the dish, blocked fusion, but did not affect DNA synthesis, expression of myosin, phosphorylase, phosphocreatine kinase, phosphorylase kinase or glycogen synthetase, nor the organization of the elements of the hexagonal lattice. It is concluded that cell fusion is not a prerequisite for the expression of the differentiated phenotype.