Insulin receptor binding motif tagged with IgG4 Fc (Yiminsu) works as an insulin sensitizer to activate Akt signaling in hepatocytes

Genet Mol Res. 2015 Aug 3;14(3):8819-28. doi: 10.4238/2015.August.3.5.

Abstract

Insulin resistance is a key feature of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Interaction of insulin with the insulin receptor (IR) leads to both its auto-phosphorylation and phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on the IR substrate (IRS) proteins, initiating the activation of intracellular signaling cascades. The metabolic effects of IRS are known to be mediated through pathways involving phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase (PI-3K), which result in the activation of Akt signaling. The C-terminal region of the IR ectodomain is required to facilitate the conformational changes that are required for high-affinity binding to insulin. Furthermore, the CH2 and CH3 domains in the Fc fragments of immunoglobulins are responsible for their binding to the Fc receptor, which triggers transcytosis. In this study, we created a fusion peptide of the C-terminal end of the human IR ectodomain with the IgG4 Fc fragment, including an intervening polyG fragment to ensure enough space for insulin binding. We named this new peptide "Yiminsu", meaning an insulin sensitizer. The results of our analyses show that Yiminsu significantly facilitates insulin signaling via the activation of Akt in hepatocytes in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further studies are required to determine whether Yiminsu can act as an insulin sensitizer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CHO Cells
  • Cell Line
  • Cloning, Molecular / methods
  • Cricetulus
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Hepatocytes / drug effects
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / chemistry
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / pharmacology*
  • Immunoglobulin G / chemistry
  • Immunoglobulin G / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin G / pharmacology*
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Protein Engineering
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism*
  • Receptor, Insulin / metabolism
  • Receptors, Fc / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Tyrosine / metabolism

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Insulin
  • Receptors, Fc
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Tyrosine
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase
  • Receptor, Insulin
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt