Changes in tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and association of p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase with IRS-1 after feeding in rat liver in vivo

The binding of insulin to its receptor rapidly induces intrinsic insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity, resulting in tyrosine phosphorylation of various cystolic substrates, such as insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) which, in turn, associates with a p85 subunit of phosphatidylinosital 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) followed by activation of this enzyme. In the present study, we have examined these early steps of insulin signalling in rat liver in vivo after food ingestion. After fasting for 22 h, a 12% casein diet was available ad libitum throughout the 8-h experimental period. Plasma insulin concentrations increased within 45 min after feeding, reached a maximum at 1.5 h and gradually decreased until 8 h. Autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor beta-subunit in liver was detected even during fasting and increased about 1.5-fold at 1.5 h after feeding. Basal tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 was detectable during starvation, increased about twofold at 3 h after feeding and levels were maintained until 8 h. The content of the p85 subunit of PI 3-kinase associated with IRS-1 also increased after feeding in parallel with the changes in tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1. Because tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor beta-subunit and IRS-1 and the association of the p85 subunit of PI 3-kinase with IRS-1 in liver were closely correlated with the changes in the plasma concentration of insulin, we concluded that endogenous insulin secreted in response to eating caused these insulin dependent intracellular changes in the liver.