Mechanisms of Insulin-Induced Insulin-Receptor Downregulation: Decrease of Receptor Biosynthesis and mRNA Levels

The influence of insulin on the downregulation of its receptor was studied in AR42J cultured pancreatic acinar cells, a cell line that has been demonstrated to be metabolically responsive to insulin. Downregulation induced by insulin was time and dose dependent. After a 20-h incubation with 1 μM insulin, Scatchard analysis revealed ∼80% loss of insulin receptors. Studies of receptor half-life indicated that treatment with insulin accelerated the degradation of both the α and β-subunits of the insulin receptor by 30–60%. In addition, biosynthetic-labeling studies indicated that insulin inhibited the biosynthesis of the insulin-receptor precursor by >30%. This decreased biosynthesis of the precursor was associated with decreased production of mature receptor subunits. Poly(A)⁺ RNA was extracted from control cells and cells treated for 24 hwith 100 nM insulin. Slot blots and Northern transfers revealed that insulin induced an ∼ 50% decrease in insulin-receptor mRNA levels. Therefore, these studies indicate that insulin may diminish the concentration of its receptors in target cells by at least two mechanisms: acceleration of receptor degradation and inhibition of receptor biosynthesis at the level of mRNA.