Phosphorylation state of the GLUT4 isoform of the glucose transporter in subfractions of the rat adipose cell: effects of insulin, adenosine, and isoproterenol.

Abstract The acute effects of insulin, adenosine, and isoproterenol on the activity, subcellular distribution, and phosphorylation state of the GLUT4 glucose transporter isoform were investigated in rat adipocytes under conditions carefully controlled to monitor changes in cAMP-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase) activity. In contrast to GLUT1, which has not been shown to be phosphorylated even when cells are exposed to any of the above agents, GLUT4 was partially phosphorylated (0.1-0.2 mol/mol) when the activity of the A-kinase was suppressed, and remained unchanged in response to insulin. Isoproterenol elicited a 64% inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose transport activity in the absence, but not the presence, of adenosine receptor agonists. However, in either the presence or the absence of agonists, A-kinase was activated as assessed by examining the phosphorylation of the major adipocyte A-kinase substrate, perilipin. Similarly, under either condition, phosphorylation of GLUT4 was enhanced 1.4-fold in the intracellular membranes, but no significant change was observed in the plasma membrane. In the absence of adenosine receptor agonists, isoproterenol exerted a small (14%) but significant inhibition of the insulin-induced translocation of GLUT4 but had no effect on the translocation of GLUT1. Thus, changes in the phosphorylation state and/or subcellular distribution of GLUT4 cannot account for the inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose activity induced by isoproterenol.