Improved insulin sensitivity by calorie restriction is associated with reduction of ERK and p70S6K activities in the liver of obese Zucker rats.

Abstract

Calorie restriction (CR) improves obesity-related insulin resistance through undefined molecular mechanisms. Insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 serine/threonine kinases have been proposed to modulate insulin sensitivity through phosphorylation of IRS proteins. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that changes in the activity of IRS1 serine/threonine kinases may underlie the molecular mechanism of CR in improving insulin sensitivity. Obese and lean Zucker rats were subjected to 40% CR or allowed to feed ad libitum (AL) for 20 weeks; body weight and insulin sensitivity were monitored throughout this period. The activity of IRS1 serine/threonine kinases - including JNK, ERK, MTOR/p70(S6K) (RPS6KB1 as listed in the MGI Database), glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3B), AMPK (PRKAA1 as listed in the MGI Database), and protein kinase C (PRKCQ) in liver tissue extracts was measured by an in vitro kinase assay using various glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-IRS1 fragments as substrates, while phosphorylation of IRS1 and serine kinases was determined by western blotting using phosphospecific antibodies. CR in obese rats significantly reduced body weight and increased insulin sensitivity compared to AL controls. Serine kinase activity toward IRS1(S612) (corresponding to S616 in human IRS1) and IRS1(S632/635) (corresponding to S636/639 in human IRS1) was increased in obese rats compared to lean littermates, and was markedly decreased following CR. Concomitantly, obesity increased and CR decreased the activity of hepatic ERK and p70(S6K) against IRS1. The close association between the activity of hepatic ERK and p70(S6K) with insulin resistance suggests an important role for ERK and p70(S6K) in the development of insulin resistance, presumably via phosphorylation of IRS proteins.

• Authors: Yanbin Zheng, Wenshuo Zhang, Elisha Pendleton, Sanhua Leng, Jiong Wu, Ridong Chen, Xiao Jian Sun
• Journal: The Journal of endocrinology (J Endocrinol) Vol. 203 Issue 3 Pg. 337-47 (Dec 2009) ISSN: 1479-6805 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19801385 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins
• Irs1 protein, rat
• Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa
• Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases

Topics

• Animals
• Caloric Restriction
• Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases (metabolism)
• Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins (metabolism)
• Insulin Resistance
• Liver (enzymology)
• Male
• Obesity (enzymology, therapy)
• Phosphorylation
• Rats
• Rats, Zucker
• Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa (metabolism)