scholarly journals Natural Functions of PLIN2 Mediating Wnt/LiCl Signaling and Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK3)/GSK3 Substrate-Related Effects Are Modulated by Lipid

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 421-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xunxian Liu ◽  
Xinyue Lu ◽  
Kaimei Song ◽  
Marc R. Blackman

Belonging to the PLIN family, PLIN2 associates with lipid storage droplets (LSDs), but other functions of PLIN2 remain unclear. Here, we suggest that PLIN2 mediates Wnt signaling because PLIN2 small interfering RNA (siRNA) suppresses activation of Wnt/coreceptor pathways. The mediation in the Wnt/Frizzled pathway seems to occur from Dishevelleds to axin/glycogen synthase kinase 3(GSK3)/β-catenin complexes (AGβC) as Wnt decreases Dishevelled/PLIN2 but increases AGβC/PLIN2 associations. Augmenting cellular LSDs that affect PLIN2 associations with these proteins, oleic acid (OA) treatment inhibits Wnt-increased AGβC/PLIN2 associations and β-catenin T-cell factor signaling (β-CTS). Revealing that PLIN2 is a GSK3-associated protein, the study explored PLIN2-mediated effects on GSK3/GSK3 substrates. PLIN2 siRNA reduces inhibitory GSK3 levels and lithium chloride (LiCl)-upregulated β-catenin or CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (c/EBPα) expression. OA treatment decreases LiCl-increased c/EBPα via PLIN2-c/EBPα dissociation. In addition to PLIN2 overexpression increasing β-CTS, PLIN2 depletion or overexpression drops or adds expression of GSK3 substrates, such as β-catenin, c/EBPα,c-Myc, cyclin D1, and insulin receptor substrate 1, and cell growth/survival. PLIN2 N or C terminus overexpression that is associated with higher levels of the substrates suggests that those substrates bind to specific regions of PLIN2. Mimicking the possible high lipid concentrations in cells in the human body under conditions of hyperlipidemia/obesity, OA-treated cells gain or reduce GSK3 substrate expression in parallel with a decrease (a Wnt-like effect) or increase in GSK3 activity, likely regulated by GSK3/PLIN2/GSK3 substrate associations.

2008 ◽  
Vol 294 (6) ◽  
pp. E1169-E1177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziva Liberman ◽  
Batya Plotkin ◽  
Tamar Tennenbaum ◽  
Hagit Eldar-Finkelman

Serine/threonine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) is an important negative modulator of insulin signaling. Previously, we showed that glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) phosphorylates IRS-1 at Ser332. However, the fact that GSK-3 requires prephosphorylation of its substrates suggested that Ser336 on IRS-1 was the “priming” site phosphorylated by an as yet unknown protein kinase. Here, we sought to identify this “priming kinase” and to examine the phosphorylation of IRS-1 at Ser336 and Ser332 in physiologically relevant animal models. Of several stimulators, only the PKC activator phorbol ester PMA enhanced IRS-1 phosphorylation at Ser336. Treatment with selective PKC inhibitors prevented this PMA effect and suggested that a conventional PKC was the priming kinase. Overexpression of PKCα or PKCβII isoforms in cells enhanced IRS-1 phosphorylation at Ser336 and Ser332, and in vitro kinase assays verified that these two kinases directly phosphorylated IRS-1 at Ser336. The expression level and activation state of PKCβII, but not PKCα, were remarkably elevated in the fat tissues of diabetic ob/ob mice and in high-fat diet-fed mice compared with that from lean animals. Elevated levels of PKCβII were also associated with enhanced phosphorylation of IRS-1 at Ser336/332 and elevated activity of GSK-3β. Finally, adenoviral mediated expression of PKCβII in adipocytes enhancedphosphorylation of IRS-1 at Ser336. Taken together, our results suggest that IRS-1 is sequentially phosphorylated by PKCβII and GSK-3 at Ser336 and Ser332. Furthermore, these data provide evidence for the physiological relevance of these phosphorylation events in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in fat tissue.


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