Cleavage of vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP)-2 and cellubrevin on GLUT4-containing vesicles inhibits the translocation of GLUT4 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

We have identified VAMP isoforms, VAMP-2 and cellubrevin, on GLUT4-containing vesicle membranes isolated from 3T3-Ll adipocytes. These proteins translocate from a low density microsomal fraction to the plasma membrane upon insulin stimulation in a fashion similar to GLUT4. VAMP-1 was not detected in this low density microsomal fraction nor on purified GLUT4-containing vesicles. In streptolysin-O permeabilized 3T3-L1 adipocytes, both VAMP-2 and cellubrevin were cleaved with botulinum neurotoxin isoform B, BoNTx/B. In addition, BoNTx/B partially inhibited insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation and glucose transport activity. We conclude that the synaptobrevin isoforms are important components of the insulin-dependent translocation of GLUT4 to the cell surface in adipocytes.