The insulin receptor of rat brain is coupled to tyrosine kinase activity.

Insulin receptors from rat brain were studied for receptor-associated tyrosine kinase activity. In solubilized, lectin-purified receptor preparations, insulin stimulated the phosphorylation of the beta subunit of its receptor as well as of exogenous substrates. Phosphoamino acid analysis of casein phosphorylated by these preparations revealed that 32P incorporation occurred predominantly on tyrosine residues. Receptor and casein phosphorylations were specific for insulin and analogues that also bind to the insulin receptor. The insulin dose response for phosphorylation of brain receptor resembled that reported for the purified insulin receptor from human placenta (Kasuga, M., Fujita-Yamaguchi, Y., Blithe, D.L., and Kahn, C.R. (1983) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 2137-2141), suggesting similar insulin sensitivity and coupling of the brain receptor kinase. Four polyclonal antisera to the insulin receptor were able to bind and immunoprecipitate the brain receptor; however, only two antisera activated the receptor-associated kinase. Thus, the brain insulin receptor, like the well studied non-neural receptor, is coupled to tyrosine kinase activity, making regulation of cellular events by insulin in neural tissue possible.