Rab proteins are important regulators of GLUT4 trafficking in muscle and adipose cells. It is still unclear which Rabs are involved in insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation in C2C12 myoblasts. In this study, we detect the colocalization of Rab8A with GLUT4 and the presence of Rab8A at vesicle exocytic sites by TIRFM imaging. Overexpression of dominant-negative Rab8A (T22N) diminishes insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation, while constitutively active Rab8A (Q67L) augments it. In addition, knockdown of Rab8A inhibits insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation, which is rescued by replenishment of RNAi-resistant Rab8A. Together, these results indicate an indispensable role for Rab8A in insulin-regulated GLUT4 trafficking in C2C12 cells.
Keywords: C2C12; Rab8; TIRFM; exocytosis; glucose transporter; insulin.
© 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.