title: Chloroquine inhibits glucose-transporter recruitment induced by insulin in rat adipocytes independently of its action on endomembrane pH.
abstract: In adipocytes, stimulation of glucose transport by insulin is mediated largely by translocation of the GLUT4 isoform of glucose transporters from an intracellular store to the plasma membrane. Most endomembrane compartments are endowed with H(+)-pumping ATPases, and the resulting luminal acidification is thought to play a role in vesicular traffic. Chloroquine (Clq), a permeant weak base, was used to test whether endomembrane pH is an important factor in GLUT4 translocation. Under conditions chosen to optimize Clq uptake, the weak base precluded insulin-induced GLUT4 translocation and the associated stimulation of glucose transport. Clq also effectively dissipated the delta pH of acidic endomembrane compartments, assessed fluorimetrically. To define whether the intracellular GLUT4 storage compartment is acidic, immunoadsorption and immunoblotting experiments were performed to determine whether glucose transporters and vacuolar-type H+ pumps coexist in the same membranes. Unexpectedly, H+ pumps were not detectable in vesicles bearing GLUT4. Moreover, dissipation of endomembrane delta pH by monensin failed to inhibit insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation and hexose transport. Finally, the inhibitory effect of Clq persisted in the presence of monensin. We conclude that GLUT4 resides in an intracellular compartment devoid of H+ pumps. The insertion of this compartment into the plasmalemma is not regulated by transmembrane pH gradients. Clq impairs the stimulation of glucose transport by blocking translocation of GLUT4 by a pH-independent mechanism. Clq may provide a useful tool to elucidate the signalling or fusion steps involved in insulin-induced GLUT4 translocation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romanek
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sargeant
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Paquet
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gluck
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klip
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grinstein
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004822:Epididymis; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008861:Microsomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007328:Insulin; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; C495694:Slc2a4 protein, rat; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D002738:Chloroquine; D005947:Glucose