You are on page 1of 12

See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/6285638

Two phases of palmitate-induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle:


Impaired GLUT4 translocation is followed by a reduced GLUT4 intrinsic activity

Article in AJP Endocrinology and Metabolism · September 2007


DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00685.2006 · Source: PubMed

CITATIONS READS
79 22

5 authors, including:

Hakam Alkhateeb Adrian Chabowski


Hashemite University Medical University of Bialystok
12 PUBLICATIONS 484 CITATIONS 264 PUBLICATIONS 6,214 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Joannes Luiken
Maastricht University
220 PUBLICATIONS 13,805 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Joannes Luiken on 13 July 2022.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.


Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 293: E783–E793, 2007.
First published June 5, 2007; doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00685.2006.

Two phases of palmitate-induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle:


impaired GLUT4 translocation is followed by a reduced GLUT4
intrinsic activity
Hakam Alkhateeb,1 Adrian Chabowski,2 Jan F. C. Glatz,3 Joost F. P. Luiken,3 and Arend Bonen1
1
Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; 2Department
of Physiology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; and 3Department of Molecular Genetics, Maastricht
University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Submitted 15 December 2006; accepted in final form 4 June 2007

Alkhateeb H, Chabowski A, Glatz JF, Luiken JF, Bonen A. Two relationship between insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and
phases of palmitate-induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle: im- intramuscular lipid accumulation, including tri- and diacylg-
paired GLUT4 translocation is followed by a reduced GLUT4 intrinsic lycerols, long-chain fatty acyl-CoAs, and ceramides (12, 17,
activity. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 293: E783–E793, 2007. First 31, 49). It has also been speculated that a reduction in skeletal
published June 5, 2007; doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00685.2006.—We exam-
ined, in soleus muscle, the effects of prolonged palmitate exposure (0,
muscle fatty acid oxidation contributes to the intracellular lipid
6, 12, 18 h) on insulin-stimulated glucose transport, intramuscular accumulation, thereby inducing insulin resistance (36).
lipid accumulation and oxidation, activation of selected insulin-sig- Impairments in the postreceptor insulin-signaling pathway
naling proteins, and the insulin-stimulated translocation of GLUT4. are thought to be central in the development of fatty acid-
Insulin-stimulated glucose transport was progressively reduced after induced insulin resistance. Fatty acid infusion (4 –90 h) im-
6 h (⫺33%), 12 h (⫺66%), and 18 h (⫺89%) of palmitate exposure. paired the insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the
These decrements were closely associated with concurrent reductions insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrate (IRS) ⫺1, and the
in palmitate oxidation at 6 h (⫺40%), 12 h (⫺60%), and 18 h activities of PI 3-kinase, IRS-1-associated PI 3-kinase (5, 18,
(⫺67%). In contrast, intramuscular ceramide (⫹24%) and diacylglyc- 35, 42, 67), and atypical PKC␨/␭ (38). Paradoxically, insulin
erol (⫹32%) concentrations, insulin-stimulated AS160 (⫺36%) and resistance in skeletal muscle provoked by lipid (38, 42) or
PRAS40 (⫺33%) phosphorylations, and Akt (⫺40%), PKC␪
(⫺50%), and GLUT4 translocation (⫺40%) to the plasma membrane
growth hormone infusion (32), as well as improved insulin
were all maximally altered within the first 6 h of palmitate treatment. sensitivity provoked by thiazolidinedione treatment in type 2
No further changes were observed in any of these parameters after 12 diabetics (33, 39), failed to alter insulin-stimulated Akt phos-
and 18 h of palmitate exposure. Thus, the intrinsic activity of GLUT4 phorylation (32, 34, 38, 39, 42) and AS160 phosphorylation
was markedly reduced after 12 and 18 h of palmitate treatment. (34), downstream signals of PI 3-kinase. In high-fat-fed rats,
During this reduced GLUT4 intrinsic activity phase at 12 and 18 h, the complete inhibition of insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation
reduction in glucose transport was twofold greater compared with the in muscle only partially inhibited (⫺40%) insulin-stimulated
early phase (ⱕ6 h), when only GLUT4 translocation was impaired. glucose transport (62). Collectively, these findings illustrate
Our study indicates that palmitate-induced insulin resistance is pro- that, although insulin sensitivity in muscle can be altered, the
voked by two distinct mechanisms: 1) an early phase (ⱕ6 h), during mechanisms involved are not completely understood. Mecha-
which lipid-mediated impairments in insulin signaling and GLUT4
translocation reduce insulin-stimulated glucose transport, followed by
nisms other than impaired insulin signaling may also contribute
2) a later phase (12 and 18 h), during which the intrinsic activity of to lipid-induced insulin resistance.
GLUT4 is markedly reduced independently of any further alterations To stimulate glucose transport, insulin appears to activate
in intramuscular lipid accumulation, insulin signaling and GLUT4 two mechanisms, 1) the well-known insulin-induced GLUT4
translocation. translocation from intracellular pools to the plasma membrane
(61) and 2) an increased intrinsic activity of cell surface
glucose transport; glucose transporter 4; ceramide; diacylglycerol;
Akt; AS160; protein kinase C␨/␭; protein kinase C␪; palmitate oxi-
GLUT4 (3, 27, 30). In L6 muscle cells, insulin-stimulated
dation glucose transport can be reduced by altering the intrinsic
activity of cell surface GLUT4 in the absence of GLUT4
translocation and Akt phosphorylation (44, 59). Similarly, in
IN INSULIN-SENSITIVE TISSUES, such as skeletal muscle, insulin rat skeletal muscle, insulin-stimulated glucose transport rates
activates a signaling cascade that induces the translocation of can be altered independently of the cell surface GLUT4 (11,
the glucose transporter GLUT4 from its intracellular depot(s) 25, 62). Indeed, we have shown that epinephrine reduced
to the cell surface, where these transport proteins, dock, fuse, insulin-stimulated glucose transport in a dose-dependent man-
and become functionally active, thereby facilitating the trans- ner, whereas plasmalemmal GLUT4 remained unaltered (25).
port of glucose into the cell (for review see Ref. 61). In recent In addition, high-fat feeding appears to lower the intrinsic
years, dysregulated lipid metabolism has been associated with activity of GLUT4 (62). Thus, there is considerable evidence to
inducing insulin resistance. Infusion with fatty acids induces suggest that the activity of cell surface GLUT4 can be regu-
insulin resistance (5, 18, 42, 67), and there is a negative lated, a process that is not associated with the activation of p38

Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: A. Bonen,Dept. of The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment
Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, Univ. of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked “advertisement”
2W1, Canada (e-mail: abonen@uoguelph.ca). in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

http://www.ajpendo.org 0193-1849/07 $8.00 Copyright © 2007 the American Physiological Society E783
Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
E784 PALMITATE-INDUCED IMPAIRED GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND ACTIVITY

MAP kinase (3, 4, 63), as had been thought for some years. To ing 5 mM glucose supplemented with 4% bovine serum albumin V
date, there appear to be no studies, either in muscle cells or in (BSA), penicillin (100 IU/ml), and streptomycin (0.1 mg/ml). Low
mammalian tissues, that have examined whether fatty acids can concentrations of insulin (14.3 ␮U/ml) were also included, as failure
impair glucose transport by interfering with GLUT4 activity at to maintain low concentrations of this hormone during a prolonged
incubation period reduces intramuscular phosphagens and glycogen
the cell surface. (65). The low concentrations of insulin did not stimulate glucose
Since the mechanisms contributing to fatty acid-induced transport (present study 14.3 ␮U/ml; data not shown). Incubation vials
insulin resistance are not fully known, we have examined at were shaken at 110 cycles/min, and the gas phase and temperature
selected time intervals (0, 6, 12 and 18 h), in isolated mam- were maintained at 95% O2-5% CO2 and 30°C, respectively, through-
malian muscle (soleus), the effects of palmitate on 1) insulin- out. The incubation medium was replenished every 6 h.
stimulated glucose transport, 2) intramuscular lipid accumula-
tion and oxidation, 3) activation of selected insulin signaling ATP and Phosphocreatine
proteins, and 4) the insulin-stimulated translocation of GLUT4. To ascertain the viability of incubated muscles, ATP and phospho-
Our studies have revealed that palmitate induces insulin resis- creatine (PCr) concentrations were determined in muscles incubated
tance in two ways: 1) during an early phase (ⱕ6 h), when with and without palmitate for up to 18 h, as we (2) have described in
intracellular diacylglycerol (⫹32%) and ceramide (⫹24%) detail elsewhere.
accumulate and likely impair insulin-stimulated glucose trans-
port (⫺33%), in association with reductions in insulin-stimu- Glucose Transport
lated Akt activation (⫺55%) and GLUT4 translocation At selected periods (0, 6, 12, and 18 h) insulin-stimulated glucose
(⫺40%); 2) these events are followed by a subsequent later transport was determined. Standard procedures were employed as we
phase at 12 and 18 h, during which, independently of any have described previously (7, 9). Briefly, after the specified incubation
further alterations in GLUT4 translocation, insulin signaling, periods, soleus muscles were incubated (30°C, 30 min, 95% O2-5%
and intramuscular lipid accumulation, the intrinsic activity of CO2) in 2 ml of palmitate-free Krebs-Henseleit buffer [8 mM glucose,
GLUT4 is markedly reduced. 32 mM mannitol, and 0.1% BSA with or without insulin (20,000
␮U/ml)]. Subsequently, muscles were washed [2 ⫻ 10 min, 30°C,
METHODS glucose-free Krebs-Henseleit buffer, 40 mM mannitol, 0.1% BSA ⫾
insulin (20,000 ␮U/ml)]. Glucose transport was then determined in
Materials palmitate-free Krebs-Henseleit buffer (2 ml) supplemented with 0.5
␮Ci 3-O-methyl-D-[3H]glucose (3-OMG), 1.0 ␮Ci [14C]mannitol, 32
[1-14C]palmitate was purchased from Amersham Life Science mM 3-OMG, 4 mM mannitol, 4 mM pyruvate, and 0.1% BSA in the
(Oakville, ON, Canada). Collagenase type II was purchased from presence (20,000 ␮U/ml) or absence of insulin for 20 min. Thereafter,
Worthington (Lakewood, NJ). Insulin (Humulin-R) was purchased muscles were blotted, weighed, and solubilized followed by scintil-
from Eli-Lilly (Toronto, ON, Canada). Penicillin and streptomycin lation counting of muscle extracts.
were purchased from Invitrogen (Grand island, NY). Silica plates (no.
60, 0.25 mm) were obtained from Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Ger- Palmitate Oxidation
many). Total and phosphorylated proteins were determined with
commercially available antibodies from the following sources: anti- To determine the rates of fatty acid oxidation, our previously
Akt1/2, anti-Akt2, anti-phospho-Akt Ser473, and anti-phospho-Akt described method was used (19). Briefly, at the end of the incubation
Thr308 from Santa Cruz Biotechnology (Santa Cruz, CA); anti- periods (0, 6, 12 and 18 h), isolated soleus muscles that had been
PKC␨/␭ and anti-PKC␪ from Santa Cruz Biotechnology (Santa Cruz, incubated with and without palmitate for 0, 6, 12, and 18 h were
CA); anti-IRS-1, anti-PI 3-kinase, anti-AS160, and anti-phospho- transferred to other glass vials containing 2 ml of pregassed (95%
AS160 (Thr642) from Upstate (Lake Placid, NY); anti-GLUT4 from O2-5% CO2) Medium 199 supplemented with 4% BSA and palmitate
Chemicon International (Temecula, CA); goat-anti-rabbit secondary (2 mM, 0.5 ␮Ci/ml [1-14C]palmitate; Amersham Life Science
antibodies from Chemicon International; and donkey-anti-rabbit Oakville, ON, Canada). Palmitate oxidation occurred at 30°C for 40
secondary antibody from Amersham Biosciences (Oakville, ON, min, and the 14CO2 released was captured in a benzothium hydroxide
Canada). All other reagents were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich trap (400 ␮l, 1.0 M) In addition, at the end of the 40-min incubation
(St. Louis, MO). period, dissolved CO2 was released by adding sulfuric acid (1.0 ml,
1 M) to a 1.0-ml aliquot of the incubating medium and trapping the
14
Animals CO2 in a benzothium hydroxide trap. Finally, water-soluble
14
C-labeled intermediates were extracted from muscles homogenized
All experiments were approved by the Committee on Animal Care after their incubation (19). After scintillation counting, the palmitate
at the University of Guelph. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (55–75 g), oxidation rate was determined as we have done previously (19), by
bred on site, were used in these studies. The animals consumed summing the three sources of metabolized [14C]palmitate.
normal laboratory chow and water ad libitum. At the onset of each
experiment, rats were anesthetized with Somnotol (6 mg/100 g body Intramuscular Triacylglycerol, Phospholipid, Diacylglycerol,
wt ip), and the soleus muscles were gently dissected free. and Ceramide Concentrations

Muscle Incubation The intramuscular lipids were determined in muscles incubated in


Medium 199 with or without palmitate. At 0, 6, 12, and 18 h, muscles
We (2) have shown that soleus muscles (⬃20 mg) remain viable, were freeze-clamped and stored at ⫺80°C. To obtain sufficient mus-
ex vivo, for up to 18 h. In the present study, intact soleus muscles cle, five soleii were pooled for each independent determination.
(⬃20 mg), after a 30 min preincubation, were incubated with (2 mM) Intramuscular lipids [triacylglycerol (TAG), diacylglycerol (DAG),
or without palmitate (control) for 0, 6, 12, or 18 h. At t ⫽ 0 min, phospholipids, ceramide] were extracted by the method of Folch et al.
palmitate-treated muscles were exposed only briefly (5 min) to palmi- (20), as modified by van der Vusse et al. (64). Lipids were extracted
tate, and control muscles were also briefly (5 min) incubated without from pulverized fat-free muscle samples in methanol (2 ml) and
palmitate. All incubations (0 –18 h) were performed in 10 ml of chloroform (4 ml) containing the antioxidant butylated hydroxytolu-
warmed (30°C), pregassed (95% O2-5% CO2) Medium 199 contain- ene (0.01%), and an internal standard (heptadecanoic acid) was added.

AJP-Endocrinol Metab • VOL 293 • SEPTEMBER 2007 • www.ajpendo.org


Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
PALMITATE-INDUCED IMPAIRED GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND ACTIVITY E785
Water (1.5 ml) was added to the extracting mixture. One portion of the RESULTS
chloroform layer was used to separate TAG, DAG, phospholipids, and
lipid fractions, and the second portion was used for ceramide deter- The selection of the palmitate concentration in the present
minations. Thin-layer chromatography (silica plate no. 60, 0.25 mm; study was determined from dose response studies in which we
Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) was used to separate lipids. For TAG, examined the effects of palmitate on the inhibition of insulin-
DAG, and phospholipid separation a heptane-isopropyl ether-acetic stimulated glucose transport after 12 h (Fig. 1A). Incubation
acid (60:40:3, vol/vol/vol) resolving solution (54) was used, and for with 1.5–2 mM palmitate induced the maximal effects. At a
ceramide separation diethyl ether-hexane-acetic acid (90:10:1 vol/vol/ concentration of 2 mM, palmitate muscles remained metabol-
vol) was used as described by Yano et al. (66). After being resolved ically viable for up to 18 h, as shown by the constancy of the
and dried, lipid bands were visualized by spraying with a 0.2%
ATP and PCr concentrations in all muscles (Fig. 1B).
solution of 2⬘7⬘-dichlorofluorescein in methanol and identified under
UV light according to the standards on the plates. Each of the Effect of Palmitate on Basal and Insulin-Stimulated Glucose
separated lipids was methylated (45, 66) in 14% boron trifluoride- Transport in Soleus Muscles
methanol (14% BF3), and fatty acid methyl esters were extracted with
pentane (64). Finally, samples were dissolved in hexane and analyzed In the absence of palmitate, basal 3-OMG transport rates
by gas-liquid chromatography [Hewlett-Packard 5890 Series II gas were not altered during the 18-h incubation period (P ⬎ 0.05;
chromatograph with Varian CP-SIL capillary column (50 m ⫻ 0.25 Fig. 2). In the palmitate-treated muscles, the basal rates of
mm internal diameter)] and flame-ionization detector (Agilent Tech-
nologies, Santa Clara, CA). The oven temperature was programmed
from 160°C to 225°C at 5°C/min and held at 225°C for 10 min.
According to the retention times of standards, the individual long-
chain fatty acids were quantified. The concentration of each lipid was
obtained by summing the fatty acids in their chromatograph profile.

Plasma Membrane Preparation


The soleus muscle plasmalemmal content of selected proteins was
determined in muscles incubated in Medium 199 for 0, 6, 12, and 18 h
with or without palmitate. At these selected time points, the muscles
were treated with (20,000 ␮U/ml) or without insulin for 70 min to
mimic the time course in the foregoing glucose transport experiments.
To obtain sufficient plasma membrane, 10 incubated soleii were
pooled for each independent experiment. Giant vesicle plasma mem-
branes were obtained as we have previously reported in detail (8, 10).
In separate experiments, we established that insulin stimulated the
appearance of GLUT4, Akt, and PKC␪ and PKC␨/␭ at the plasma
membrane.

Protein Analysis
The soleus muscle total protein of selected proteins was determined
in muscles incubated in Medium 199 for 0, 6, 12, and 18 h with or
without palmitate. Thereafter, muscles were rapidly blotted, frozen in
liquid nitrogen, and stored at ⫺80°C until analyzed for selected
proteins. To measure the phosphorylation status of Akt, PRAS40 (a
proline-rich Akt substrate), and AS160, muscles were incubated for 0,
6, 12, and 18 h with and without palmitate followed by incubation in
palmitate-free Krebs-Henseleit buffer in the presence of insulin
(20,000 ␮U/ml) for 10 min, the time in which maximal phosphory-
lation was observed (H. Alkhateeb and A. Bonen, unpublished data,
and Ref. 57). Thereafter, the muscles were rapidly blotted, frozen, and
stored at ⫺80°C for later analysis.

Muscle Protein Extraction and Western Blotting


For whole muscle protein determination, two frozen soleii were
homogenized in 2 ml of buffer (8, 10). Muscle homogenate and
plasma membrane protein concentrations were determined using the Fig. 1. Dose-response relationship of palmitate on insulin-stimulated 3-O-
bicinchoninic acid assay. Proteins were separated using SDS-poly- methylglucose (3-OMG) transport in soleus muscle (A) and ATP and phos-
phocreatine (PCr) concentrations in isolated soleus muscle incubated for 0, 6,
acrylamide gel electrophoresis and were detected using Western 12, and 18 h in the absence and presence of 2 mM palmitate (B). Data are total
blotting. We (2, 8, 10) have reported these procedures previously. 3-OMG transport (basal ⫹ insulin-stimulated) and are presented as means ⫾
SE; n ⫽ 4 –5 muscles per data point. In some cases error bars are less than the
Statistics plot symbol. For both A and B, at t ⫽ 0, control muscles were briefly incubated,
while palmitate-treated muscles were briefly exposed to palmitate (see METH-
Data were analyzed using two-way analyses of variance, and when ODS). A: incubations without (0 mM) or with palmitate (0.5–2.0 mM) occurred
appropriate, a Fisher’s least significant difference post hoc analysis for 12 h, after which muscles were exposed to insulin. *P ⬍ 0.05, 0.5 vs. 0
was used. For some small experiments, the data were analyzed with a mM; **P ⬍ 0.05, 1.0 vs. 0.5 mM; ***P ⬍ 0.05, 1.5 vs. 1.0 mM, and 2.0 vs
one-way analysis of variance when this was warranted by the exper- 1.0 mM (asterisks denote comparisons based on post hoc tests). B: n ⫽ 8 –10
imental design. All data are reported as means ⫾ SE. muscles per data point; there were no significant differences at any point.

AJP-Endocrinol Metab • VOL 293 • SEPTEMBER 2007 • www.ajpendo.org


Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
E786 PALMITATE-INDUCED IMPAIRED GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND ACTIVITY

treatment did not further reduce the insulin-stimulated GLUT4


content at the plasma membrane at 12 and 18 h (P ⬎ 0.05; Fig.
4B), despite the continued reduction in insulin-stimulated glu-
cose transport (Fig. 2).
At 6 h, the concurrent decrease in 3-OMG transport and
plasma membrane GLUT4 in the palmitate-treated muscles
yielded a ratio (Fig. 4C) that did not differ from that at t ⫽ 0,
before the onset of insulin resistance. However, after 6 h, there

Fig. 2. Effect of prolonged palmitate exposure (0 –18 h) on basal and insulin-


stimulated 3-OMG transport in soleus muscle. At t ⫽ 0, control muscles were
briefly incubated, while palmitate-treated muscles were briefly exposed to
palmitate (see methods). Data are presented as means ⫾ SE; n ⫽ 8 muscles per
data point. In some cases error bars are less than the plot symbol. Note that
insulin was present for only 70 min (see METHODS) after 0, 6, 12, or 18 h of
muscle incubation. Control: no differences among time points (P ⬎ 0.05).
Palmitate treatment: *P ⬍ 0.05, 6 vs. 0 h; **P ⬍ 0.05, 12 vs. 6 h; ***P ⬍ 0.05,
18 vs. 12 h (asterisks denote comparisons based on post hoc tests).

3-OMG transport were reduced only in the first 6 h (P ⬍ 0.05).


Thereafter (6 –18 h), basal 3-OMG transport remained unal-
tered in palmitate-treated muscles (P ⬎ 0.05; Fig. 2).
Insulin-stimulated glucose transport was not altered in the
control muscles (P ⬎ 0.05; Fig. 2). In contrast, palmitate
induced a very marked, progressive reduction in insulin-stim-
ulated 3-OMG transport over 18 h. After 6, 12, and 18 h,
glucose transport was reduced by 33% (P ⬍ 0.05), 66% (P ⬍
0.05), and 89% (P ⬍ 0.05), respectively, relative to t ⫽ 0 h.
Notably, after 18 h of palmitate exposure, insulin-stimulated
glucose transport did not differ from basal glucose transport at
t ⫽ 0 h (P ⬎ 0.05; Fig. 2).
Effects of Insulin on Plasmalemmal GLUT4, Akt, and PKC␪
and PKC␨/␭
Although it had been reported some years ago that insulin-
stimulated GLUT4 appearance at the plasma membrane of
giant vesicles could not be detected (50), we found that insulin
increased plasmalemmal GLUT4 (2.3-fold, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 3). In
addition, insulin also increased plasmalemmal Akt (1.5-fold),
PKC␪ (3.3-fold), and PKC␨/␭ (4.8-fold, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 3).
Effect of Palmitate on Protein Expression of GLUT4
and Insulin-Stimulated Plasmalemmal GLUT4
The expression of GLUT4 protein was not altered during the
18-h incubation period in the control and palmitate-treated
muscles, (P ⬎ 0.05; Fig. 4A). Basal levels of plasma membrane
GLUT4 were also not altered during the 18-h incubation period
in either the control or palmitate-treated muscles, (P ⬎ 0.05;
Fig. 4B).
In control muscles, insulin induced a 2.5-fold increase in Fig. 3. Effects of insulin on plasma membrane GLUT4, Akt, PKC␪, and
plasmalemmal GLUT4 at the end of each of the incubation PKC␨/␭. Data are presented as means ⫾ SE; GLUT4, n ⫽ 9 independent
periods (0, 6, 12, and 18 h, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 4B). The insulin- determinations; Akt, n ⫽ 3 independent determinations; PKC␪, n ⫽ 4 inde-
stimulated plasmalemmal GLUT4 content was not altered pendent determinations; PKC␨/␭, n ⫽ 4 independent determinations. To obtain
throughout the 18-h period in the control muscles (P ⬎ 0.05; sufficient plasma membrane for each independent determination, 10 solei (⬃20
mg each) were incubated with or without insulin for 30 min. These 10 muscles
Fig. 4B). In contrast, in palmitate-treated muscles, the insulin- were then pooled for each treatment (basal and insulin stimulation) to obtain
stimulated plasmalemmal GLUT4 was decreased by 40% sufficient giant vesicles plasma membrane for Western blotting. *P ⬍ 0.05,
within the first 6 h (P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 4B). Thereafter, palmitate insulin vs. basal.

AJP-Endocrinol Metab • VOL 293 • SEPTEMBER 2007 • www.ajpendo.org


Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
PALMITATE-INDUCED IMPAIRED GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND ACTIVITY E787

Fig. 4. Effect of prolonged palmitate exposure


(0 –18 h) on soleus muscle protein expressions
of GLUT4 (A), on basal plasma membrane
GLUT4 and insulin-stimulated plasma mem-
brane GLUT4 (B), and on the ratio of 3-OMG
transport to plasma membrane GLUT4 (C). At
t ⫽ 0, control muscles were briefly incubated,
while palmitate-treated muscles were briefly
exposed to palmitate (see METHODS). Data are
presented as means ⫾ SE. In some cases error
bars are less than the plot symbol. Note that
insulin was present for only 70 min (see METH-
ODS) after 0, 6, 12, or 18 h of muscle incuba-
tion. A: n ⫽ 5– 6 muscles per data point. B: n ⫽
7 independent experiments for each data point.
To obtain sufficient plasma membrane, 10 solei
were pooled for each independent experiment
at each time point. C: ratio was calculated from
means in insulin-stimulated muscles in Fig. 2
and here in B. Basal plasma membrane GLUT4
levels in control (P ⬎ 0.05) and palmitate
treated muscle (P ⬎ 0.05) were unaltered.
Insulin stimulation in control muscle resulted
in a 2.5-fold increase in plasma membrane
GLUT4 at 0 to 18 h, P ⬍ 0.05. Palmitate
treatment ⫹ insulin-stimulation: *P ⬍ 0.05 at
6, 12, and 18 h vs. control muscles at corre-
sponding time points (asterisks denote compar-
isons between control and palmitate treated
conditions based on post hoc tests). In palmi-
tate-treated muscle at 12 and 18 h, insulin-
stimulated plasma membrane GLUT4 does not
differ from basal plasma membrane GLUT4.

was a sharp progressive decrease in the ratio of 3-OMG substrate PRAS40 (40), in palmitate-treated muscles (reduction
transport to plasma membrane GLUT4 in the palmitate treated relative to t ⫽ 0 h: ⫺23% at 6 h, ⫺18% at 12 h, ⫺22% at 18 h;
muscles (Fig. 4C). Fig. 5D).
Effect of Palmitate on Expression and Insulin-Stimulated Effect of Palmitate on Insulin-Stimulated Plasmalemmal Akt,
Phosphorylation of Signaling Proteins PKC␨/␭, and PKC␪
The protein expressions of IRS-1, PI 3-kinase, Akt1/2, Akt2, Akt. In control muscles, during the 18-h incubation period
AS160, PRAS40, PKC␨/␭, and PKC␪ remained unchanged the insulin-stimulated plasmalemmal Akt was not altered in the
during the 18-h incubation period in either presence or absence first 6 h (P ⬎ 0.05; Fig. 6A) but was increased thereafter at 12 h
of palmitate (n ⫽ 5–7 muscles at all time points in control and (⫹55%, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 5A) and 18 h (⫹77%, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig.
palmitate-treated muscles, P ⬎ 0.05; data not shown). Under 6A). These increments in plasmalemmal Akt at 12 and 18 h did
basal conditions, the phosphorylation states of Akt (Thr308 and not differ (P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 6A). In contrast, palmitate treatment
Ser473) were not altered (P ⬎ 0.05; Fig. 5) in either control or was associated with an impaired insulin-stimulated Akt trans-
palmitate-treated muscles. Relative to t ⫽ 0, the basal phos- location to the plasma membrane within the first 6 h (⫺55%,
phorylation states of AS160 and PRAS40 were reduced some- P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 6A). Relative to the 6-h time point, this
what, and to a similar extent, in both control and palmitate- insulin-stimulated translocation of Akt to the plasma mem-
treated muscles (Fig. 5, C and D). brane had recovered slightly at 12 and 18 h (P ⬍ 0.05; Fig.
In the control muscles, the insulin-induced phosphorylation 6A). However, relative to t ⫽ 0, insulin-stimulated transloca-
states of Akt Thr308 (Fig. 5A) and Ser473 (Fig. 5B) and AS160 tion of Akt to the plasma membrane was still inhibited in
(Fig. 5C) were not changed (P ⬎ 0.05) during the 18-h palmitate-treated muscles at 12 h (⫺32%, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 6A)
incubation period. In contrast, PRAS40 phosphorylation, rela- and at 18 h (⫺36%, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 6A).
tive to t ⫽ 0 h, was increased after 12 h (⫹14%) and 18 h PKC␨/␭. In the control muscles, the insulin-stimulated trans-
(⫹27%) (P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 5D). Palmitate did not alter the location of PKC␨/␭ to the plasma membrane was not altered
insulin-induced phosphorylation of Akt Thr308 (Fig. 5A) and (P ⬎ 0.05; Fig. 6B). In the palmitate-treated muscles, insulin-
Ser473 (Fig. 5B) at any time point (P ⬎ 0.05). In contrast, stimulated translocation of PKC␨/␭ to the plasma membrane
palmitate treatment reduced the insulin-stimulated phosphory- was also not altered, except for an increase at 12 h (⫹23%, P ⬍
lation of AS160 in the first 6 h (⫺36%, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 5C), but 0.05; Fig. 6B).
it was not changed further thereafter, as AS160 phosphoryla- PKC␪. In the control muscles, there was a reduction in the
tion remained stably depressed at 12 h (⫺32%) and 18 h insulin-stimulated PKC␪ translocation to the plasma mem-
(⫺40%) (Fig. 5C). A similar reduction pattern was observed brane within the first 6 h (⫺20%, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 6C). This was
for insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of the proline-rich Akt renormalized by 12 h, whereas after 18 h there was an increase
AJP-Endocrinol Metab • VOL 293 • SEPTEMBER 2007 • www.ajpendo.org
Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
E788 PALMITATE-INDUCED IMPAIRED GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND ACTIVITY

Fig. 5. Phosphorylation of Akt Thr308 (A), Akt


Ser473 (B), AS160 (C), and PRAS40 (a proline-rich
Akt substrate; D) in control and palmitate-treated
muscles under basal and insulin stimulated (10 min)
conditions. At t ⫽ 0, control muscles were briefly
incubated, while palmitate-treated muscles were
briefly exposed to palmitate (see METHODS). Data
are presented as means ⫾ SE; n ⫽ 3– 4 muscles for
basal conditions and n ⫽ 5–7 muscles for insulin
treatment for each data point. In some cases error
bars are less than the plot symbol. As figure is
already crowded, blots for basal phosphorylation
states are not shown. Note that insulin was present
for only 10 min (see METHODS) after 0, 6, 12, or 18 h
of muscle incubation. Note in D, the reversal of
⫹palmitate and ⫺palmitate loading compared with
A–C. In all instances, basal phosphorylations are
less than in muscles treated with insulin. In addi-
tion, basal control and basal palmitate-treated mus-
cles did not differ at any point except at 6 h in D.
Insulin treatment: *P ⬍ 0.05, 6, 12, or 18 h vs. 0 h;
**P ⬍ 0.05, 12 vs. 0 h; ***P ⬍ 0.05 18 vs. 12 h.
Basal: †P ⬍ 0.05, 12 vs. 0 h for control and
palmitate-treated; ††P ⬍ 0.05, 18 vs. 12 h, for
control and palmitate-treated; ⫹P ⬍ 0.05, 6 vs. 0 h
for control. Symbols denote comparisons based on
post hoc tests.

in the insulin-stimulated plasmalemmal PKC␪ (⫹50%, P ⬍ were 11% (P ⫽ 0.075) and 19% (P ⬍ 0.05) greater, respec-
0.05; Fig. 6C). In contrast, in muscles that were treated with tively, than at t ⫽ 0 (Fig. 7B). Palmitate treatment also
palmitate, insulin-stimulated plasmalemmal PKC␪ was re- increased the ceramide concentrations after 6 h (⫹24%, P ⬍
duced at 6 h (⫺50%, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 6C), at 12 h (⫺45%, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 7C) and relative to t ⫽ 0 these concentrations
0.05; Fig. 6C) and at 18 h (⫺35%, P ⬍ 0.05;, Fig. 6C) remained elevated at that level at 12 h (⫹17%, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig.
compared with insulin-stimulated PKC␪ translocation at t ⫽ 0. 7C) and at 18 h (⫹33%, P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 7C).
The rates of palmitate (2 mM) oxidation were not altered in
Intramuscular Lipid Accumulation and Palmitate Oxidation control muscles (P ⬎ 0.05; Fig. 7D). In contrast, in the
In control muscles, the concentrations of the intramuscular palmitate-treated muscles, palmitate oxidation decreased pro-
lipids were relatively stable during the 18-h incubation. How- gressively (P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 7D), by 40% and 60% at 6 h and
ever, in control muscles, TAG concentrations were increased 12 h, respectively (P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 6D). Relative to the 12-h
somewhat at 18 h (P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 7A). Phospholipid concen- reduction, palmitate oxidation was not reduced any further at
trations decreased somewhat (⫺22%) in both control and 18 h in the palmitate-treated muscles (P ⬎ 0.05; Fig. 7D).
palmitate-treated muscles over the 18-h period, with most of Interrelationships Among 3-OMG Transport, Plasma
the reduction (⫺15%) occurring during the last 6 h (P ⬍ 0.05, Membrane GLUT4, and Selected Variables
data not shown). DAG (Fig. 7B) and ceramide (Fig. 7C)
concentrations were not altered in control muscles, except at Many factors have been implicated in fatty acid-induced
12 h when a reduction was observed in DAG (⫺19%, P ⬍ impairments in insulin-stimulated glucose transport. Palmitate
0.05; Fig. 7B). treatment altered a number of parameters only within the first
Incubation with palmitate increased the intramuscular TAG 6 h, with no further changes thereafter (i.e., DAG and ceramide
concentration, but only when incubated for more than 6 h with concentrations, insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of AS160
palmitate (Fig. 7A). By 12 h, the intramuscular TAG concen- and PRAS40, and insulin-stimulated plasmalemmal Akt,
tration had increased 53% (P ⬍ 0.05) and remained at that PKC␪, and GLUT4; Fig. 8A). However, these changes were
level until 18 h (Fig. 7A). Palmitate incubation increased DAG not closely associated with the progressively greater reduction
concentrations by 31% after 6 h (P ⬍ 0.05; Fig. 7B). After 12 in insulin-stimulated glucose transport, particularly during the
and 18 h of incubation with palmitate, DAG concentrations 6- to 18-h period of palmitate exposure. Among all parameters
AJP-Endocrinol Metab • VOL 293 • SEPTEMBER 2007 • www.ajpendo.org
Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
PALMITATE-INDUCED IMPAIRED GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND ACTIVITY E789

Fig. 6. Soleus muscle plasma membrane Akt


(A), PKC␨/␭ (B), and PKC␪ (C) in control and
palmitate-treated muscles exposed to insulin. At
t ⫽ 0, control muscles were briefly incubated,
while palmitate-treated muscles were briefly ex-
posed to palmitate (see METHODS). Data are pre-
sented as means ⫾ SE; n ⫽ 5–7 independent
experiments for each data point. In some cases
error bars are less than the plot symbol. Note
that insulin was present for only 70 min (see
METHODS) after 0, 6, 12, or 18 h of muscle
incubation. To obtain sufficient plasma mem-
brane 10 solei were pooled for each independent
experiment. *P ⬍ 0.05 vs. 0 h; **P ⬍ 0.05,
control vs. palmitate-treated muscles; ***P ⬍
0.05 12 or 18 h vs. 6 h (asterisks denote com-
parisons based on post hoc tests).

examined over the 18-h period, there was a strong relationship Palmitate Impairs Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Transport
between the reductions in the rate of palmitate oxidation and and GLUT4 Translocation and Activity
the rates of insulin-stimulated glucose transport in palmitate-
The palmitate-induced impairment in insulin-stimulated glu-
treated muscles (Fig. 8, B and C).
cose transport consisted of an early and a late phase. Each of
these appeared to be attributable to different mechanisms.
DISCUSSION Early-phase (⬍6 h) impaired glucose transport and
We have examined the mechanisms involved in palmi- GLUT4 translocation. The palmitate (2 mM)-induced reduc-
tate-induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle over a tion (⫺33%) in insulin-stimulated glucose transport after 6 h
prolonged period of time (0, 6, 12, and 18 h). The key novel parallels the observations in two other, similar studies, in
which palmitate also reduced insulin-stimulated glucose trans-
finding is that palmitate provokes insulin resistance in
port in isolated soleus [⫺25% after 6 h with 2 mM palmitate
skeletal muscle by two separate mechanisms: one linked to
(60)] and extensor digitorum longus muscles [⫺22%, after 5 h
an intracellular, lipid-associated impairment in insulin sig-
with 1.6 mM palmitate (48)]. These changes were not attrib-
naling and GLUT4 translocation and another that is associ- utable to the minimal, palmitate-induced reduction in basal
ated with a reduced intrinsic activity of plasmalemmal glucose transport (present study and Ref. 48) or to an altered
GLUT4, independent of further inhibition of insulin signal- GLUT4 protein expression (present study). Instead, the im-
ing. Moreover, the disorders in insulin signaling and GLUT4 paired insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation (⫺44%) ap-
translocation precede the reduction in GLUT4 intrinsic activ- peared to account for the similar reductions in glucose trans-
ity. Compared with the impaired GLUT4 translocation, the port (⫺33%) within the first 6 h. This is also suggested by the
reduced intrinsic activity of GLUT4 accounted for a far greater similar ratio of insulin-stimulated glucose transport to plasma
(2-fold) impairment in insulin-stimulated glucose transport. membrane GLUT4 in the 6-h palmitate-treated muscles com-
The muscles in the present study, as in other long-term pared with the control muscle ratios at every time point (see
incubation studies (2, 65), were metabolically viable and re- Fig. 4C).
mained insulin responsive. The use of a high palmitate con- Late-phase impaired insulin-stimulated glucose transport
centration to induce insulin resistance is similar to previous and GLUT4 activity. With prolonged palmitate incubation
approaches [2 mM (60); 1.6 mM (48)]. (ⱕ18 h), the insulin-stimulated glucose transport was reduced
AJP-Endocrinol Metab • VOL 293 • SEPTEMBER 2007 • www.ajpendo.org
Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
E790 PALMITATE-INDUCED IMPAIRED GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND ACTIVITY

Fig. 7. Effects of prolonged palmitate exposure


(0 –18 h) on intramuscular concentrations of
triacylglycerol (A), diacylglycerol (B), and cer-
amide (C), and palmitate oxidation (D) in soleus
muscle. Data are presented as means ⫾ SE; for
A–C, n ⫽ 5 independent experiments, each
independent observation consisting of 5 pooled
solei; for D, n ⫽ 8 muscles per data point. In
some cases error bars are less than the plot
symbol. At t ⫽ 0, control muscles were briefly
incubated, while palmitate-treated muscles were
briefly exposed to palmitate (see METHODS).
*P ⬍ 0.05, 6 h vs. 0 h; **P ⬍ 0.05, 12 or 18 h
vs. 6 h; ***P ⬍ 0.05, control vs. palmitate-
treated (asterisks denote comparisons based on
post hoc tests).

progressively further at 12 h (⫺66%) and 18 h (⫺89%). These associated with a reduced GLUT4 intrinsic activity. We rec-
reductions were not attributable either 1) to changes in GLUT4 ognize that preparative procedures designed to isolate plasma
protein expression or 2) to further reductions in the insulin- membrane fractions may not be fully representative of the
stimulated GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane. plasma membrane in intact muscle in which the glucose trans-
Thus, the late-phase, twofold greater insulin resistance was port rates were determined. Nevertheless, our study strongly

Fig. 8. Relationship between the relative (%)


changes in intramuscular lipids, insulin-stimulated
AS160 phosphorylation (A), and insulin-stimulated
plasma membrane PKC␪, Akt, and GLUT4 in 0- to
18-h palmitate-treated soleus muscles (B) between
rates of insulin-stimulated glucose transport and
rates of palmitate oxidation, and between relative
(%) changes in insulin-stimulated glucose trans-
port and rates of palmitate oxidation (C). In B, a
nonlinear regression line was obtained by fitting
mean values of palmitate acid oxidation vs. insu-
lin-stimulated glucose transport, as these data were
obtained from different muscles. Means ⫾ SE
were from data obtained in palmitate-treated mus-
cles at 0, 6, 12, and 18 h and are shown in Figs. 2
and 7D.

AJP-Endocrinol Metab • VOL 293 • SEPTEMBER 2007 • www.ajpendo.org


Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
PALMITATE-INDUCED IMPAIRED GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND ACTIVITY E791
suggests that a second, somewhat delayed mechanism is in- paired AS160 phosphorylation, which then inhibited GLUT4
volved in palmitate-induced insulin resistance, namely a re- translocation. However, this sequence of actions cannot ac-
duced intrinsic activity of plasmalemmal GLUT4 (see Fig. 4C). count for the further reductions in insulin-stimulated glucose
transport observed at 12 and 18 h, as neither Akt activation nor
Changes In Intramuscular Lipids During Long-Term GLUT4 translocation were changed beyond that observed
Palmitate Incubation (0 –18 h) within the first 6 h.
Fatty acids have been widely implicated in the induction of Increased ceramide concentrations that occur with lipid
insulin resistance (present study and refs. 6, 31, 49). Our study infusion (38) or high-fat feeding (26, 41) can also contribute to
supports the idea that the intramuscular accumulation of tri- the inhibition of insulin-stimulated Akt activity via the activa-
acylglycerols per se does not induce insulin resistance, as their tion of PKC␨/␭ (26, 38, 41), although this is not always
accumulation occurred well after insulin resistance had been observed (62). In the present study, it appears that PKC␨/␭ was
observed. Ceramides and DAG are more likely to inhibit not activated by ceramide accumulation, but the absence of a
insulin signaling (1, 16, 28, 43). In palmitate-treated muscles, direct measurement of PKC enzyme activity precludes a de-
intramuscular ceramide and DAG accumulations coincided finitive conclusion on this matter. Nevertheless, it is known
with the onset of insulin resistance within the first 6 h. How- that ceramide-induced PKC␨/␭ activation is not the only means
ever, it appears that these metabolites are not directly involved for inhibiting Akt activity, as this can be inhibited by an
with the late-phase (12 and 18 h), more severe insulin resis- alternative, ceramide-mediated mechanism, namely the activa-
tance that developed, since the intramuscular ceramide and tion of a type 2A-like phosphatase, which plays a role in the
DAG accumulations were not increased further at 12 and 18 h. dephosphorylation of Akt (13).
The reduced rate of palmitate oxidation in the palmitate- It has been proposed that DAG accumulation induces insulin
treated muscles corresponded most closely with the reduced resistance via the activation of PKC␪ (23, 31, 67), which
rate of insulin-stimulated glucose transport during both the antagonizes insulin signaling by increasing serine phosphory-
early (ⱕ6 h) and late phases (12 and 18 h). The reason for this lation of IRS-1 (23, 67). Moreover, PKC␪-null mice do not
is unclear; however, others (36) have argued that the impaired develop insulin resistance when placed on a high-fat diet (37).
fatty acid oxidation is closely associated with skeletal muscle Although an increase in plasmalemmal PKC␪ is indicative of
insulin resistance. its activation (55), in the present study the insulin-stimulated
appearance of PKC␪ was not altered. This suggests that insulin
Palmitate-Mediated Inhibition Of Insulin Signaling
resistance in the palmitate-treated muscles was not associated
Impairments in the post-receptor insulin-signaling pathway with DAG-mediated activation of PKC␪.
are thought to be central in the development of fatty acid-
induced insulin resistance. (5, 18, 26, 35, 38, 41, 42, 47, 62, Late-Phase (12 And 18 h) Impaired Plasmalemmal
67). In the present study, palmitate treatment impaired the GLUT4 Activity
insulin-induced activation of Akt, PRAS40, AS160, and PKC␪
t PKC␨/␭. However, these impairments were all observed The data in the present study suggest strongly that pro-
within the first 6 h, with no further impairment thereafter at 12 longed palmitate treatment (⬎6 h) interfered with insulin
and18 h. Therefore, we focus our discussion on the changes in action by mechanisms that are independent of 1) altered
the early-phase (ⱕ6 h) impairments in insulin signaling. insulin signaling and 2) impaired GLUT4 translocation to
the plasma membrane. One of these mechanisms may be the
Early-Phase (ⱕ6 H) Lipid-Mediated Impairment in Akt reduction of the intrinsic activity of the plasmalemmal
There is considerable disagreement as to whether fatty acids GLUT4.
impair insulin-stimulated glucose transport via a reduction in In early studies in skeletal muscle (11, 21), a discrepancy
Akt phosphorylation (13–15, 22, 38, 42, 52, 56, 58, 60). was found between the changes in cell surface GLUT4 and
Although insulin effects on Akt Ser473 and Thr308 phosphory- rates of glucose transport. Therefore, it was proposed that
lations were not altered by palmitate treatment, it did appear glucose transport was regulated via both GLUT4 translocation
that palmitate contributed to decreasing Akt activity, since and intrinsic activity. However, this concept fell into disfavor
1) reductions occurred in the insulin-induced phosphoryla- for a number of years, only to be revived in recent years (3, 25,
tions of AS160 and PRAS40 (downstream Akt targets), and 27, 29, 30, 46). We (25) have shown that epinephrine induces
2) reductions occurred in the insulin-stimulated appearance of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle in a dose-dependent man-
Akt at the plasma membrane, as has been observed in palmi- ner by inhibiting GLUT4 activity. The present study also
tate-treated L6 muscle cells (52). The different effects of supports the idea that GLUT4 intrinsic activity can be altered.
palmitate on insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation and Akt The mechanism by which the intrinsic activity of cell surface
translocation may be attributable to the discrepancies that can GLUT4 is altered remains obscure. Contrary to some earlier
arise between Akt Ser473 and Thr308 phosphorylation and Akt studies, recent work has shown that p38 MAPK activation is
activity (41, 62). not involved in altering the intrinsic activity of GLUT4 (3, 4,
It is thought that ceramides, derived from saturated fatty 53, 63). Nevertheless, there is substantial evidence to indicate
acids, interfere with insulin action by reducing Akt phosphor- that cell surface GLUT4 activity can be altered to regulate
ylation/activation and translocation (14, 15, 24, 28, 51, 52, 56). glucose transport (3, 11, 21, 25, 27, 30, 53, 63). The present
Therefore, in the palmitate-treated muscles, the ceramide ac- study indicates that the palmitate-induced reduction in the
cumulation (⫹24%) within the first 6 h likely accounted for the intrinsic activity of GLUT4 occurs after insulin-stimulated
impaired Akt activation. Presumably, this resulted in the im- GLUT4 translocation has been impaired.
AJP-Endocrinol Metab • VOL 293 • SEPTEMBER 2007 • www.ajpendo.org
Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
E792 PALMITATE-INDUCED IMPAIRED GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND ACTIVITY

Summary 13. Cazzolli R, Carpenter L, Biden T, Schmitz-Peiffer C. A role for protein


phosphatase 2A-like activity, but not atypical protein kinase C(zeta), in the
Our study has shown that palmitate-induced insulin resis- inhibition of protein kinase B/Akt and glycogen synthesis by palmitate.
tance is provoked by two distinct mechanisms. First, in the Diabetes 50: 2210 –2218, 2001.
14. Chavez J, Knotts T, Wang L, Li G, Dobrowsky R, Florant G,
early phase (⬍6 h), GLUT4 translocation is impaired, resulting Summers S. A Role for ceramide, but not diacylglycerol, in the antago-
from the intramuscular accumulation of diacylglycerol and nism of insulin signal transduction by saturated fatty acids. J Biol Chem
ceramide and the concurrent impairments in insulin-stimulated 278: 10297–10303, 2003.
Akt, PRAS40, and AS160 activation. Second, another phase is 15. Chavez J, Summers S. Characterizing the effects of saturated fatty acids
evident after 12 and 18 h of palmitate exposure, during which on insulin signaling and ceramide and diacylglycerol accumulation in
3T3-L1 adipocytes and C2C12 myotubes. Arch Biochem Biophys 419:
the intrinsic activity of GLUT4 is markedly reduced. This later 101–109, 2003.
phase is independent of any further alterations in GLUT4 16. Chavez JA, Holland WL, Bar J, Sandhoff K, Summers SA. Acid
translocation, insulin signaling, and intramuscular lipid accu- ceramidase overexpression prevents the inhibitory effects of saturated
mulation. Compared with the impaired GLUT4 translocation, fatty acids on insulin signaling. J Biol Chem 280: 20148 –20153, 2005.
17. Cooney GJ, Thompson AL, Furler SM, Ye J, Kraegen EW. Muscle
the reduced intrinsic activity of GLUT4 accounted for a far long-chain acyl CoA esters and insulin resistance. Ann NY Acad Sci 967:
greater (2-fold) impairment in insulin-stimulated glucose trans- 196 –207, 2002.
port. 18. Dresner A, Laurent D, Marcucci M, Griffin M, Dufour S, Cline G,
Slezak L, Andersen D, Hundal R, Rothman D, Petersen K, Shulman
G. Effects of free fatty acids on glucose transport and IRS-1-associated
GRANTS
phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity. J Clin Invest 103: 252–259, 1999.
Studies in our laboratories are supported by grants from the Canadian 19. Dyck D, Peters S, Glatz J, Gorski J, Keizer H, Kiens B, Liu S, Richter
Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research E, Spriet L, van der Vusse G, Bonen A. Functional differences in lipid
Council of Canada, The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, the Nether- metabolism in resting skeletal muscle of various fiber types. Am J Physiol
lands Heart Foundation (2002T049), the European Community (Integrated Endocrinol Metab 273: E340 –E351, 1997.
Project LSHM-CT-2004-005272, Exgenesis), KBN 3P05B 19022 (Poland), 20. Folch J, Lees M, Sloane Stanley G. A simple method for the isolation
and the Canada Research Chair program. H. Alkhateeb was supported by a and purification of total lipides from animal tissues. J Biol Chem 226:
scholarship from The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan. J. J. F. P. Luiken 497–509, 1957.
is a recipient of a VIDI-Innovation Research Grant from the Netherlands 21. Goodyear LJ, Hirshman MF, Horton ES. Exercise-induced transloca-
Organization for Scientific Research (NWO-ZonMw Grant 016.036.305). A. tion of skeletal muscle glucose transporters. Am J Physiol Endocrinol
Bonen is the Canada Research Chair in Metabolism and Health. Metab 261: E795–E799, 1991.
22. Gosmanov A, Umpierrez G, Karabell A, Cuervo R, Thomason D.
Impaired expression and insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt-2 in
REFERENCES muscle of obese patients with atypical diabetes. Am J Physiol Endocrinol
1. Adams 2nd JM, Pratipanawatr T, Berria R, Wang E, DeFronzo RA, Metab 287: E8 –E15, 2004.
Sullards MC, Mandarino LJ. Ceramide content is increased in skeletal 23. Griffin M, Marcucci M, Cline G, Bell K, Barucci N, Lee D, Goodyear
muscle from obese insulin-resistant humans. Diabetes 53: 25–31, 2004. L, Kraegen E, White M, Shulman G. Free fatty acid-induced insulin
2. Alkhateeb H, Chabowski A, Bonen A. Viability of the isolated soleus resistance is associated with activation of protein kinase C theta and
muscle during long-term incubation. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 31: 467– alterations in the insulin signaling cascade. Diabetes 48: 1270 –1274,
476, 2006. 1999.
3. Antonescu CN, Huang C, Niu W, Liu Z, Eyers PA, Heidenreich KA, 24. Hajduch E, Balendran A, Batty I, Litherland G, Blair A, Downes C,
Bilan PJ, Klip A. Reduction of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in L6 Hundal H. Ceramide impairs the insulin-dependent membrane recruit-
myotubes by the protein kinase inhibitor SB203580 is independent of ment of protein kinase B leading to a loss in downstream signalling in L6
p38MAPK activity. Endocrinology, 2005. skeletal muscle cells. Diabetologia 44: 173–183, 2001.
4. Bazuine M, Carlotti F, Rabelink MJ, Vellinga J, Hoeben RC, Maassen 25. Han X, Bonen A. Epinephrine translocates GLUT-4 but inhibits insulin-
JA. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor SB203580 reduces stimulated glucose transport in rat muscle. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab
glucose turnover by the glucose transporter-4 of 3T3-L1 adipocytes in the 274: E700 –E707, 1998.
insulin-stimulated state. Endocrinology 146: 1818 –1824, 2005. 26. Herr HJ, Bernard JR, Reeder DW, Rivas DA, Limon JJ, Yaspelkis
5. Belfort R, Mandarino L, Kashyap S, Wirfel K, Pratipanawatr T, BB 3rd. Insulin-stimulated plasma membrane association and activation
Berria R, Defronzo RA, Cusi K. Dose-response effect of elevated plasma of Akt2, aPKC zeta and aPKC lambda in high fat fed rodent skeletal
free fatty acid on insulin signaling. Diabetes 54: 1640 –1648, 2005. muscle. J Physiol 565: 627– 636, 2005.
6. Boden G, Lebed B, Schatz M, Homko C, Lemieux S. Effects of acute 27. Hertel J, Struthers H, Horj CB, Hruz PW. A structural basis for the
changes of plasma free fatty acids on intramyocellular fat content and acute effects of HIV protease inhibitors on GLUT4 intrinsic activity.
insulin resistance in healthy subjects. Diabetes 50: 1612–1617, 2001. J Biol Chem 279: 55147–55152, 2004.
7. Bonen A, Clark M, Henriksen E. Experimental approaches in muscle 28. Holland WL, Brozinick JT, Wang LP, Hawkins ED, Sargent KM, Liu
metabolism: hindlimb perfusion and isolated muscle incubations. Am J Y, Narra K, Hoehn KL, Knotts TA, Siesky A, Nelson DH, Karatha-
Physiol Endocrinol Metab 266: E1–E16, 1994. nasis SK, Fontenot GK, Birnbaum MJ, Summers SA. Inhibition of
8. Bonen A, Dyck D, Ibrahimi A, Abumrad N. Muscle contractile activity ceramide synthesis ameliorates glucocorticoid-, saturated-fat-, and obesi-
increases fatty acid metabolism and transport and FAT/CD36. Am J ty-induced insulin resistance. Cell Metab 5: 167–179, 2007.
Physiol Endocrinol Metab 276: E642–E649, 1999. 29. Hruz PW, Murata H, Qiu H, Mueckler M. Indinavir induces acute and
9. Bonen A, Elder GCB, Tan MH. Hindlimb suspension increases insulin reversible peripheral insulin resistance in rats. Diabetes 51: 937–942,
binding and glucose metabolism. J Appl Physiol 65: 1833–1839, 1988. 2002.
10. Bonen A, Luiken J, Liu S, Dyck D, Kiens B, Kristiansen S, Turcotte 30. Ishiki M, Randhawa VK, Poon V, Jebailey L, Klip A. Insulin regulates
L, van der Vusse G, Glatz J. Palmitate transport and fatty acid trans- the membrane arrival, fusion and C-terminal unmasking of Glut4 via
porters in red and white muscles. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 275: distinct phosphoinositides. J Biol Chem 280: 28792–28802, 2005.
E471–E478, 1998. 31. Itani SI, Ruderman NB, Schmieder F, Boden G. Lipid-induced insulin
11. Bonen A, Megeney L, McCarthy S, McDermott J, Tan M. Epinephrine resistance in human muscle is associated with changes in diacylglycerol,
administration stimulates GLUT4 translocation but reduces glucose trans- protein kinase C, and IkappaB-alpha. Diabetes 51: 2005–2011, 2002.
port in muscle. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 187: 685– 691, 1992. 32. Jessen N, Djurhuus CB, Jørgensen JO, Jensen LS, Møller N, Lund S,
12. Bruce CR, Thrush AB, Mertz VA, Bezaire V, Chabowski A, Heigen- Schmitz O. Evidence against a role for insulin-signaling proteins PI
hauser GJ, Dyck DJ. Endurance training in obese humans improves 3-kinase and Akt in insulin resistance in human skeletal muscle induced by
glucose tolerance, mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and alters muscle short-term GH infusion. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 288: E194 –
lipid content. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 291: E99 –E107, 2006. E199, 2005.

AJP-Endocrinol Metab • VOL 293 • SEPTEMBER 2007 • www.ajpendo.org


Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
PALMITATE-INDUCED IMPAIRED GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND ACTIVITY E793
33. Karlsson H, Zierath J, Kane S, Krook A, Lienhard G, Wallberg- effects of insulin and contractions. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 264:
Henriksson H. Insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of the Akt substrate E270 –E278, 1993.
AS160 is impaired in skeletal muscle of Type 2 diabetic subjects. Diabetes 51. Powell D, Hajduch E, Kular G, Hundal H. Ceramide disables 3-phos-
54: 1692–1697, 2005. phoinositide binding to the pleckstrin homology domain of protein kinase
34. Karlsson HK, Hallsten K, Bjornholm M, Tsuchida H, Chibalin AV, B (PKB)/Akt by a PKC(zeta)-dependent mechanism. Mol Cell Biol 23:
Virtanen KA, Heinonen OJ, Lonnqvist F, Nuutila P, Zierath JR. 7794 –7808, 2003.
Effects of metformin and rosiglitazone treatment on insulin signaling and 52. Powell D, Turban S, Gray A, Hajduch E, Hundal H. Intracellular
glucose uptake in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: a ceramide synthesis and protein kinase Czeta activation play an essential
randomized controlled study. Diabetes 54: 1459 –1467, 2005. role in palmitate-induced insulin resistance in rat L6 skeletal muscle cells.
35. Kashyap S, Belfort R, Gastaldelli A, Pratipanawatr T, Berria R, Biochem J 382: 619 – 629, 2004.
Pratipanawatr W, Bajaj M, Mandarino L, DeFronzo R, Cusi K. A 53. Ribe D, Yang J, Patel S, Koumanov F, Cushman SW, Holman GD.
sustained increase in plasma free fatty acids impairs insulin secretion in Endofacial competitive inhibition of glucose transporter-4 intrinsic activ-
nondiabetic subjects genetically predisposed to develop type 2 diabetes. ity by the mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor SB203580. Endocri-
Diabetes 52: 2461–2474, 2003. nology 146: 1713–1717, 2005.
36. Kelley DE, He J, Menshikova EV, Ritov VB. Dysfunction of mitochon- 54. Roemen T, van der Vusse G. Application of silica gel column chroma-
dria in human skeletal muscle in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes 51: 2944 –2950, tography in the assessment of non-esterified fatty acids and phosphoglyc-
2002. erides in myocardial tissue. J Chromatogr 344: 304 –308, 1985.
37. Kim J, Fillmore J, Sunshine M, Albrecht B, Higashimori T, Kim DW, 55. Schmidtz-Peiffer C. Signalling aspects of insulin resistance in skeletal
Liu ZX, Soos T, Cline G, O’Brien W, Littman D, Shulman G. PKC-q muscle: mechanisms induced by lipid oversupply. Cell Signal 12: 583–
knockout mice are protected from fat-induced insulin resistance. J Clin 594, 2000.
Invest 114: 823– 827, 2004. 56. Schmitz-Peiffer C, Craig D, Biden T. Ceramide generation is sufficient
38. Kim YB, Shulman GI, Kahn BB. Fatty acid infusion selectively impairs to account for the inhibition of the insulin-stimulated PKB pathway in
insulin action on Akt1 and protein kinase C l/z but not on glycogen C2C12 skeletal muscle cells pretreated with palmitate. J Biol Chem 274:
synthase kinase-3. J Biol Chem 277: 32915–32922, 2002. 24202–24210, 1999.
39. Kim YB, Ciaraldi TP, Kong A, Kim D, Chu N, Mohideen P, Mudaliar 57. Song XM, Ryder JW, Kawano Y, Chibalin A, Krook A, Zierath JR.
S, Henry RR, Kahn BB. Troglitazone but not metformin restores insulin- Muscle fiber type specificity in insulin signal transduction. Am J Physiol
stimulated phosphoinositide 3-kinase activity and increases p110beta Regul Integr Comp Physiol 277: R1690 –R1696, 1999.
protein levels in skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetic subjects. Diabetes 51: 58. Storz P, Doppler H, Wernig A, Pfizenmaier K, Muller G. Cross-talk
443– 448, 2002. mechanisms in the development of insulin resistance of skeletal muscle
40. Kovacina K, Park G, Bae S, Guzzetta A, Schaefer E, Birnbaum M,
cells. Palmitate rather than tumour necrosis factor inhibits insulin-depen-
Roth R. Identification of a proline-rich Akt substrate as a 14 –3-3 binding
dent protein kinase B (PKB)/Akt stimulation and glucose uptake. Eur
partner. J Biol Chem 278: 10189 –10194, 2003.
J Biochem 266: 17–25, 1999.
41. Krisan AD, Collins DE, Crain AM, Kwong CC, Singh MK, Bernard
59. Sweeney G, Keen J, Somwar R, Konrad D, Garg R, Klip A. High leptin
JR, Yaspelkis BB 3rd. Resistance training enhances components of the
levels acutely inhibit insulin-stimulated glucose uptake without affecting
insulin signaling cascade in normal and high-fat-fed rodent skeletal mus-
glucose transporter 4 translocation in l6 rat skeletal muscle cells. Endo-
cle. J Appl Physiol 96: 1691–1700, 2004.
crinology 142: 4806 – 4812, 2001.
42. Kruszynska YT, Sears Worrall D, Ofrecio J, Frias JP, Macaraeg G,
Olefsky JM. Fatty acid-induced insulin resistance: decreased muscle 60. Thompson A, Lim-Fraser MC, Kraegen E, Cooney G. Effects of
PI3K activation but unchanged Akt phosphorylation. J Clin Endocrinol individual fatty acids on glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in soleus
Metab 87: 226 –234, 2002. muscle in vitro. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 279: E577–E584, 2000.
43. Montell E, Turini M, Marotta M, Roberts M, Noe V, Ciudad C, Mace 61. Thong FS, Dugani CB, Klip A. Turning signals on and off: GLUT4
K, Gomez-Foix A. DAG accumulation from saturated fatty acids desen- traffic in the insulin-signaling highway. Physiology (Bethesda) 20: 271–
sitizes insulin stimulation of glucose uptake in muscle cells. Am J Physiol 284, 2005.
Endocrinol Metab 280: E229 –E237, 2001. 62. Tremblay F, Lavigne C, Jacques H, Marette A. Defective Insulin-
44. Moon B, Kwan JJ, Duddy N, Sweeney G, Begum N. Resistin inhibits Induced GLUT4 translocation in skeletal muscle of high fat-fed rats Is
glucose uptake in L6 cells independently of changes in insulin signaling associated with alterations in both Akt/protein kinase B and atypical
and GLUT4 translocation. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 285: E106 – protein kinase C (z/l) activities. Diabetes 50: 1901–1910, 2001.
E115, 2003. 63. Turban S, Beardmore VA, Carr JM, Sakamoto K, Hajduch E, Arthur
45. Morrison W, Smith L. Preparation of fatty acid methyl esters and JS, Hundal HS. Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake does not require p38
dimethylacetals from lipids with boron fluoride-methanol. J Lipid Res 53: mitogen-activated protein kinase in adipose tissue or skeletal muscle.
600 – 608, 1964. Diabetes 54: 3161–3168, 2005.
46. Murata H, Hruz PW, Mueckler M. Indinavir inhibits the glucose 64. van der Vusse G, Roemen T, Reneman R. Assessment of fatty acids in
transporter isoform Glut4 at physiologic concentrations. Aids 16: 859 – dog left ventricular myocardium. Biochim Biophys Acta 617: 347–349,
863, 2002. 1980.
47. Nascimento EB, Fodor M, van der Zon GC, Jazet IM, Meinders AE, 65. Wallberg-Henriksson H, Zetan N, Henriksson J. Reversibility of de-
Voshol PJ, Vlasblom R, Baan B, Eckel J, Maassen JA, Diamant M, creased insulin-stimulated glucose transport capacity in diabetic muscle
Ouwens DM. Insulin-mediated phosphorylation of the proline-pich Akt with in vitro incubation. Insulin is not required J Biol Chem 262:
pubstrate PRAS40 is impaired in insulin target tissues of high-fat diet-fed 7665–7671, 1987.
rats. Diabetes 55: 3221–3228, 2006. 66. Yano M, Kishida E, Muneyuki Y, Masuzawa Y. Quantitative analysis
48. Olsen G, Hansen B. AMP kinase activation ameliorates insulin resistance of ceramide molecular species by high performance liquid chromatogra-
induced by free fatty acids in rat skeletal muscle. Am J Physiol Endocrinol phy. J Lipid Res 39: 2091–2098, 1998.
Metab 283: E965–E970, 2002. 67. Yu C, Chen Y, Cline GW, Zhang D, Zong H, Wang Y, Bergeron R,
49. Pan D, Lillioja S, Kriketos A, Milner M, Baur L, Bogardus C, Jenkins Kim JK, Cushman SW, Cooney GW, Atcheson B, White MF, Kraegen
A, Storlien L. Skeletal muscle triglyceride levels are inversely related to EW, Shulman GI. Mechanism by which fatty acids inhibit insulin
insulin action. Diabetes 46: 983–988, 1997. activation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1)-associated phosphatidyl-
50. Ploug T, Wojtaszewski J, Kristiansen S, Hespel P, Galbo H, Richter E. inositol 3-kinase activity in muscle. J Biol Chem 277: 50230 –50236,
Glucose transport and transporters in muscle giant vesicles: differential 2002.

AJP-Endocrinol Metab • VOL 293 • SEPTEMBER 2007 • www.ajpendo.org


Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo (178.171.066.143) on July 13, 2022.
View publication stats

You might also like