title: Nocodazole inhibits insulin-stimulated glucose transport in 3T3-L1 adipocytes via a microtubule-independent mechanism.
abstract: Insulin stimulates glucose transport in adipocytes and muscle cells by triggering redistribution of the GLUT4 glucose transporter from an intracellular perinuclear location to the cell surface. Recent reports have shown that the microtubule-depolymerizing agent nocodazole inhibits insulin-stimulated glucose transport, implicating an important role for microtubules in this process. In the present study we show that 2 microm nocodazole completely depolymerized microtubules in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, as determined morphologically and biochemically, resulting in dispersal of the perinuclear GLUT4 compartment and the Golgi apparatus. However, 2 microm nocodazole did not significantly effect either the kinetics or magnitude of insulin-stimulated glucose transport. Consistent with previous studies, higher concentrations of nocodazole (10-33 microm) significantly inhibited basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in adipocytes. This effect was not likely the result of microtubule depolymerization because in the presence of taxol, which blocked nocodazole-induced depolymerization of microtubules as well as the dispersal of the perinuclear GLUT4 compartment, the inhibitory effect of 10-33 microm nocodazole on insulin-stimulated glucose uptake prevailed. Despite the decrease in insulin-stimulated glucose transport with 33 microm nocodazole we did not observe inhibition of insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation to the cell surface under these conditions. Consistent with a direct effect of nocodazole on glucose transporter function we observed a rapid inhibitory effect of nocodazole on glucose transport activity when added to either 3T3-L1 adipocytes or to Chinese hamster ovary cells at 4 degrees C. These studies reveal a new and unexpected effect of nocodazole in mammalian cells which appears to occur independently of its microtubule-depolymerizing effects.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Molecular Biosciences and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia. jc.molero@imb.uq.edu.au
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Molero
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Whitehead
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meerloo
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: James
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D015739:Nocodazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology; D021381:Protein Transport
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007328:Insulin; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; C495693:Slc2a4 protein, mouse; D005947:Glucose; D017239:Paclitaxel; D015739:Nocodazole