Wortmannin and LY294002 inhibit the insulin-induced down-regulation of IRS-1 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

The insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) is expressed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and is involved in at least some insulin responses, notably mitogenesis. Chronic exposure to insulin down regulates IRS-1 in these cells by stimulating its degradation (Rice, K.M., Turnbow, M.A. and Garner, C.W. (1993) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 190, 961-967). This insulin response was completely inhibited by wortmannin and LY294002 (2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one), two inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase). Neither wortmannin nor LY294002 had any effect on the calcium-dependent degradation of IRS-1 in vitro nor did they inhibit the phosphorylation of IRS-1 in vitro. In addition, neomycin, a cationic aminoglycoside antibiotic that binds to phosphoinositides, inhibited the insulin-induced down-regulation of IRS-1 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and, also, the C8-PIP3-stimulated degradation of IRS-1 in vitro. These results suggest that PI 3-kinase and its 3-phosphoinositide products mediate the insulin-induced down-regulation of IRS-1 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.