Vanadium-dependent activation of glucose transport in adipocytes by catecholamines is not mediated via adrenoceptor stimulation or monoamine oxidase activity

Jessica Fontaine; Geneviève Tavernier; Nathalie Morin; Christian Carpéné

doi:10.4239/wjd.v11.i12.622

Vanadium-dependent activation of glucose transport in adipocytes by catecholamines is not mediated via adrenoceptor stimulation or monoamine oxidase activity

World J Diabetes. 2020 Dec 15;11(12):622-643. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v11.i12.622.

Authors

Jessica Fontaine¹, Geneviève Tavernier¹, Nathalie Morin¹, Christian Carpéné²

Affiliations

¹ Institut des Maladies Métaboliques et Cardiovasculaires, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM UMR1048, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, Toulouse 31432, France.
² Institut des Maladies Métaboliques et Cardiovasculaires, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM UMR1048, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, Toulouse 31432, France. christian.carpene@inserm.fr.

Abstract

Background: Benzylamine and methylamine activate glucose uptake in adipocytes. For tyramine, this effect has even been extended to cardiomyocytes.

Aim: To investigate the effects of catecholamines and other amines on glucose uptake.

Methods: A screening compared 25 biogenic amines on 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) uptake activation in rat adipocytes. Pharmacological approaches and transgenic mouse models were then used to decipher the mode of action of several hits.

Results: In rat adipocytes, insulin stimulation of 2-DG uptake was reproduced with catecholamines. 100 µmol/L or 1 mmol/L adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine and deoxyepinephrine, maximally activated hexose transport only when sodium orthovanadate was added at 100 µmol/L. Such activation was similar to that already reported for benzylamine, methylamine and tyramine, well-recognized substrates of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) and monoamine oxidase (MAO). Several, but not all, tested agonists of β-adrenoreceptors (β-ARs) also activated glucose transport while α-AR agonists were inactive. Lack of blockade by α- and β-AR antagonists indicated that catecholamine-induced 2-DG uptake was not mediated by AR stimulation. Adipocytes from mice lacking β₁-, β₂- and β₃-ARs (triple KO) also responded to millimolar doses of adrenaline or noradrenaline by activating hexose transport in the presence of 100 µmol/L vanadate. The MAO blocker pargyline, and SSAO inhibitors did not block the effects of adrenaline or noradrenaline plus vanadate, which were blunted by antioxidants.

Conclusion: Catecholamines exert unexpected insulin-like actions in adipocytes when combined with vanadium. For limiting insulin resistance by activating glucose consumption at least in fat stores, we propose that catecholamine derivatives combined with vanadium can generate novel complexes that may have low toxicity and promising anti-diabetic properties.

Keywords: Adipocyte; Amine oxidases; Diabetes; Insulin; Obesity; Vanadium.