title: Berberine activates GLUT1-mediated glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
abstract: It has recently been known that berberine, an alkaloid of medicinal plants, has anti-hyperglycemic effects. To explore the mechanism underlying this effect, we used 3T3-L1 adipocytes for analyzing the signaling pathways that contribute to glucose transport. Treatment of berberine to 3T3-L1 adipocytes for 6 h enhanced basal glucose uptake both in normal and in insulin-resistant state, but the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was not augmented significantly. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) by wortmannin did not affect the berberine effect on basal glucose uptake. Berberine did not augment tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor (IR) and insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1. Further, berberine had no effect on the activity of the insulin-sensitive downstream kinase, atypical protein kinase C (PKCzeta/lambda). However, interestingly, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), which have been known to be responsible for the expression of glucose transporter (GLUT)1, were significantly activated in berberine-treated 3T3-L1 cells. As expected, the level of GLUT1 protein was increased both in normal and insulin-resistant cells in response to berberine. But berberine affected the expression of GLUT4 neither in normal nor in insulin-resistant cells. In addition, berberine treatment increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity in 3T3-L1 cells, which has been reported to be associated with GLUT1-mediated glucose uptake. Together, we concluded that berberine increases glucose transport activity of 3T3-L1 adipocytes by enhancing GLUT1 expression and also stimulates the GLUT1-mediated glucose uptake by activating GLUT1, a result of AMPK stimulation.
authors.affiliation: School of Life and Food Sciences, Handong Global University, Pohang, Kyonbuk, Korea.
authors.forename: So Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun-Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Eun-Do
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tsenguun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bayaraa
authors.forename: Susan Cooke
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.forename: Chang-Kee
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Hyun
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; C495678:Slc2a1 protein, mouse; D001599:Berberine; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D005947:Glucose