Vanadium activates or inhibits receptor and non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases in cell-free experiments, depending on its oxidation state. Possible role of endogenous vanadium in controlling cellular protein tyrosine kinase activity.

We have shown that vanadium mimics several insulin effects in rat adipocytes, via a staurosporine sensitive cytosolic protein tyrosine kinase (CytPTK; Shisheva, A., and Shechter, Y. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 6463). Here we demonstrate that vanadium effects on protein tyrosine kinases are preserved after cell disintegration. Vanadium inhibits or activates protein tyrosine kinases depending on its oxidation state and the tyrosine kinase studied. Vanadyl (4+) but not vanadate (5+) inhibits receptor tyrosine kinases such as the insulin receptor (IC50 value = 23 +/- 4 microM) and the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IC50 = 19 +/- 3 microM). Inhibition is non-competitive with respect to ATP, Mn2+, or substrate concentrations. Preincubation of adipocytes with vanadyl (0.4 mM), and staurosporine (which arrests the cytosolic enzyme) substantially inhibited insulin-stimulated lipogenesis. Vanadyl is readily oxidized to vanadate by hydrogen peroxide. In contrast, CytPTKs were poorly inhibited by vanadyl, and vanadate stimulated several CytPTKs 2-6 fold. CytPTK derived from rat adipocytes, liver and brain were activated, and CytPTK from Nb2 lymphoma cells was not affected. CytPTK extracted from insulin-responsive tissues are more sensitive to vanadate activation (ED50 = 3 +/- 0.7 microM), whereas the brain enzyme is less sensitive (ED50 = 27 +/- 3 microM). Tungstate, molybdate, and phenylarsine oxide also stimulate CytPTK, suggesting that the vanadate effect is secondary to inhibiting protein phosphotyrosine phosphatases. This study supports a working hypothesis implicating the intracellular vanadyl pool in modulating CytPTK activity. Any physiological conditions converting vanadyl to vanadate (i.e. H2O2 production) will activate CytPTK and consequently CytPTK-dependent bioeffects.