Insulinlike effects of zinc ion in vitro and in vivo. Preferential effects on desensitized adipocytes and induction of normoglycemia in streptozocin-induced rats.

The effects of Zn2+ in mimicking insulin in vivo and in vitro are further characterized. Like insulin, Zn2+ stimulated the conversion of [U-14C]-, [1-14C]-, and [6-14C]glucose to lipids in rat adipocytes. Maximum stimulation of lipogenesis was 55-80% of maximum insulin response after preincubation (30 min at 37 degrees C) of adipocytes with ZnCl2 (0.4 mM). Under these conditions, the half-maximum effect was achieved at 0.17 +/- 0.02 mM of ZnCl2. Similarly, an insulinlike effect of Zn2+ was observed on the oxidation of glucose by both pathways, glycolytic and hexose monophosphate shunt. In contrast, unlike insulin, Zn2+ did not inhibit lipolysis but rather exhibited a slight lipolytic activity. Also, the effect of Zn2+ on hexose influx did not exceed 14 +/- 3% that of insulin. The stimulatory effects of Zn2+ were not related to generation of H2O2. Catalase (100 micrograms/ml) did not inhibit Zn(2+)-stimulated glucose oxidation and its incorporation into lipids. Zn2+ had an additive effect on either insulin- or vanadate-stimulated conversion of [1-14C]glucose to fat, and together, the effect was approximately 140% of the maximum rate of lipogenesis. Chelation of intracellular Zn2+ by the cell-permeable chelator N,N,N',N'-tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine did not significantly affect the ability of insulin to stimulate lipogenesis. Adipocytes derived from STZ rats were largely refractory to the modulating action of insulin. In contrast, the effect of Zn2+ on lipogenesis in these cells was more pronounced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)