Modulation of the Na–;H antiport by insulin: Interplay between protein kinase C, tyrosine kinase, and protein phosphatases

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Abstract
The insulin modulation of Na-H antiport in rat hepatocytes was studied using the fluorescent, pH-sensitive intracellular probe, 2′,7′ bis (carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF). Our data show that insulin stimulates the NaH antiport. The dose-response of insulin effect shows a behavior typical of other insulin responses: a maximum in the physiological range (1 nM) and smaller effects at higher and lower hormone concentrations. The time-course of activation is very fast at high hormone concentrations and slow, but reaching a higher value, for the physiological concentrations (0.26± 0.05 and 0.18 ± 0.022 pH units for 1 nM and 1 μM insulin respectively). The use of phorbol, 12-myristate, 13-acetate (PMA), a potent activator of protein kinase C and its inhibitor staurosporine, and the inhibitor of tyrosine kinase erbstatin analog, suggests that both protein kinase C and tyrosine kinase could be involved in the mechanism leading to NaH antiport activation by insulin. We suggest that the activation of the antiport involves the two pathways depending on the hormone concentration. In particular, protein kinase C would mediate the effects of high hormone concentrations, acting as a growth factor, since staurosporine fully inhibited insulin 1 μM, but only partially 1 nM effects, and tyrosine kinase would mediate the effect of insulin 1 nM and only partially 1 μM. Okadaic acid 1 μM, a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatases, mimicked the hormone effects on the antiport and abolished the different time-course due to hormone concentration, suggesting a role of kinases and phosphatases in the signal transduction. The effect of all activators was abolished by amiloride analog, 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl) amiloride (EIPA), confirming the specificity of these effects.