PC-1 content in skeletal muscle of non-obese, non-diabetic subjects: relationship to insulin receptor tyrosine kinase and whole body insulin sensitivity.

Insulin sensitivity varies widely in non-obese, non-diabetic subjects, and we have previously reported that in vivo insulin action correlates with in vitro insulin stimulated insulin receptor tyrosine-kinase activity in skeletal muscle. Plasma membrane glyco-protein PC-1 content is elevated in fibroblasts of insulin-resistant subjects, and expression of PC-1 cDNA in cultured cells reduces both insulin receptor tyrosine-kinase activity and the biological actions of insulin. In the present study we investigated non-obese, non-diabetic subjects and found a significant negative correlation between muscle PC-1 content and both in vivo insulin action as measured by the intravenous insulin tolerance test (r = -0.51, p = 0.035) and the sensitivity (ED50) of in vitro insulin stimulation of insulin receptor tyrosine-kinase activity (r = 0.66, p = 0.027). These studies indicate, therefore, that increased muscle PC-1 content is associated with reduced insulin action both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, they suggest a possible role for PC-1 in regulating insulin receptor function in human skeletal muscle.