Insulin stimulates phosphorylation of a 120-kDa glycoprotein substrate (pp120) for the receptor-associated protein kinase in intact H-35 hepatoma cells.

Abstract
The insulin receptor possesses protein kinase activity, which may play a role in mediating insulin action. Recently, we have identified a glycoprotein (pp120) in rat liver plasma membranes that is phosphorylated by the solubilized insulin receptor in a cell-free system. We now report that insulin stimulates phosphorylation of pp120 in intact H-35 cells. H-35 cells were preloaded with [32P]orthophosphate to label the intracellular ATP pool. Insulin caused a 10-fold increase in the phosphorylation of its receptor and a 2-fold increase in phosphorylation of pp120 (P < 0.001). The time course of insulin''s stimulation of pp120 closely paralleled that of insulin receptor phosphorylation over the time period investigated (15-45 min). This effect had the specificity corresponding to the insulin receptor. Epidermal growth factor was inactive, and insulin-like growth factor I had .apprxeq. 1% the potency of insulin in this regard. Insulin increased 32P incorporation into pp120 in a linkage that was stable to alkaline hydrolysis, as would be expected for tyrosine-specific phosphorylation. Direct phosphoamino acid analysis confirmed that insulin increased 32P incorporation into phosphotyrosine residues in pp120.