CHAPTER 315 – Translational Control and Insulin Signaling

In mammalian systems the primary function of insulin is to control glucose homeostasis by regulating glucose utilization in peripheral tissues and its own production and secretion in pancreatic p cells. Insulin controls these responses through intracellular signal transduction pathways, which directly modulate major anabolic responses, one of which is the activation and maintenance of elevated rates of protein synthesis. Because protein synthesis is the most energy consuming anabolic process in the cell, insulin must also serve to sustain elevated levels of energy production required for the continuance of high rates of protein synthesis. To do so insulin acts to stimulate nutrient uptake, to meet the increased demand for energy. This chapter describes the insulin-induced signal transduction pathways that coordinate increased protein synthesis rates with increased energy demand. Also in the future it will be important to obtain a deeper knowledge of the mechanisms that link the control of translation to metabolism in order to have a clearer understanding of insulin-mediated protein synthesis.