Naringenin inhibits phosphoinositide 3-kinase activity and glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
Previous studies have shown that flavonoids inhibit glucose uptake in cultured cells. In this report, we show that the grapefruit flavanone naringenin inhibited insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Naringenin acts by inhibiting the activity of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), a key regulator of insulin-induced GLUT4 translocation. Although naringenin did not alter the phosphotyrosine status of the insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrate proteins, or PI3K, it did inhibit the phosphorylation of the downstream signaling molecule Akt. In an in vitro kinase assay, naringenin inhibited PI3K activity. A physiologically attainable dose of 6 microM naringenin reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by approximately 20%. This inhibitory effect remained 24h after the removal of naringenin from the culture medium. Collectively, our findings suggest that the regular consumption of naringenin in grapefruit may exacerbate insulin resistance in susceptible individuals via impaired glucose uptake in adipose tissue.
Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Anne W
AW
Harmon
Yashomati M
YM
Patel
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044950:Flavanones; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D007329:Insulin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D015398:Signal Transduction
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D044950:Flavanones; D005419:Flavonoids; D005947:Glucose; D007329:Insulin Antagonists; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; C005273:naringenin