Differential regulation of the lysosomal, Ca2+-dependent and ubiquitin/proteasome-dependent proteolytic pathways in fast-twitch and slow-twitch rat muscle following hyperinsulinaemia.

In order to characterize the poorly defined mechanisms that account for the anti-proteolytic effects of insulin in skeletal muscle, we investigated in rats the effects of a 3 h systemic euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp on lysosomal, Ca(2+)-dependent proteolysis, and on ubiquitin/proteasome-dependent proteolysis. Proteolysis was measured in incubated fast-twitch mixed-fibre extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and slow-twitch red-fibre soleus muscles harvested at the end of insulin infusion. Insulin inhibited proteolysis (P<0.

Insulin action on skeletal muscle protein metabolism during catabolic states.

Insulin plays a major role in the regulation of skeletal muscle protein turnover but its mechanism of action is not fully understood, especially in vivo during catabolic states. These aspects are presently reviewed. Insulin inhibits the ATP-ubiquitin proteasome proteolytic pathway which is presumably the predominant pathway involved in the breakdown of muscle protein.

Acute hyperinsulinemia fails to change GLUT-4 content in crude membranes from goat skeletal muscles and adipose tissue.

The effect of insulin on GLUT-4 protein level in samples of adipose tissue and skeletal muscles from goats was studied in vivo using an euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. The clamp was maintained in conscious goats for 6 h in the presence of amino acids to prevent insulin-induced hypoaminoacidemia. GLUT-4 protein was assessed in crude membrane preparations from adipose tissue and four skeletal muscles (longissimus dorsi, tensor fasciae latae, anconeus and diaphragm) by Western blot analysis.

Ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent proteolysis in skeletal muscle.

The ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic pathway has recently been reported to be of major importance in the breakdown of skeletal muscle proteins. The first step in this pathway is the covalent attachment of polyubiquitin chains to the targeted protein. Polyubiquitylated proteins are then recognized and degraded by the 26S proteasome complex.

Expression of subunits of the 19S complex and of the PA28 activator in rat skeletal muscle.

A precise knowledge of the role of subunits of the 19S complex and the PA28 regulator, which associate with the 20S proteasome and regulate its peptidase activities, may contribute to design new therapeutic approaches for preventing muscle wasting in human diseases. The proteasome is mainly responsible for the muscle wasting of tumor-bearing and unweighted rats. The expression of some ATPase (MSS1, P45) and non ATPase (P112-L, P31) subunits of the 19S complex, and of the two subunits of the PA28 regulator, was studied in such atrophying muscles.