title: Chronic alcohol consumption alters mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), reduces ribosomal p70s6 kinase and p4E-BP1 levels in mouse cerebral cortex.
abstract: Reduced insulin sensitivity following chronic alcohol consumption may contribute to alcohol-induced brain damage although the underlying mechanism(s) has not been elucidated. This study was designed to examine the effect of chronic alcohol intake on insulin signaling in mouse cerebral cortex. FVB mice were fed with a 4% alcohol diet for 16 weeks. Insulin receptor substrates (IRS-1, IRS-2) and post-receptor signaling molecules Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), ribosomal p70s6 kinase (p70s6k) and the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) as well as the apoptotic marker caspase-3 were evaluated using Western blot analysis. Chronic alcohol intake significantly dampened whole body glucose tolerance, enhanced expression of caspase-3 and mTOR, reduced p70s6k and 4E-BP1 with little effect on Akt signaling in alcohol-consuming mice. These data suggest that chronic alcohol intake may contribute to cerebral cortex dysfunction through mechanisms related, at least in part, to dampened post insulin receptor signaling at the levels of mTOR, p70s6k and 4E-BP1.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Cardiovascular Research and Alternative Medicine and Graduate Neuroscience Program, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism*; D000438:Alcohols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D039642:Eukaryotic Initiation Factors; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D038762:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa / Q000378:metabolism*; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000438:Alcohols; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; C499527:Eif4ebp1 protein, mouse; D039642:Eukaryotic Initiation Factors; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D038762:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa; D053148:Caspase 3; D020123:Sirolimus