Increased hepatic insulin proreceptor-to-receptor ratio in diabetes: a possible processing defect

Hepatic insulin proreceptors and receptors were studied in control and in ketotic diabetic rats 2-4 wk after streptozotocin treatment. Solubilized preparations were partially purified by wheat germ agglutinin-agarose (WGA) and lentil lectin agarose (LLA) chromatography to enrich eluates in insulin receptors and proreceptors, respectively. After phosphorylation with [gamma-32P]ATP, an approximately 190-kDa glycoprotein was identified in LLA eluates as the insulin proreceptor, based on insulin dose-dependent tyrosine autophosphorylation, immunoprecipitation with insulin receptor-specific antibodies, and high-mannose glycosylation. Mature approximately 95 kDa phosphorylated beta-subunits were present in both LLA and WGA eluates. LLA also showed phosphorylated partially processed beta-subunits (approximately 85 kDa) and proreceptors (approximately 190 kDa). Proreceptors comprised less than 1% of the total yield of hepatic insulin receptors. The incorporation of 32P into proreceptors (per gram liver or DNA) was 4.7- or 4.5-fold greater in diabetic vs. control rats, whereas receptor labeling increased only 1.8- or 1.5-fold in diabetic rats. beta-Subunit autophosphorylation per receptor was identical in control and diabetic rats. The phosphorylation data suggested a diabetes-associated 2.6-fold increase in proreceptor-to-receptor ratios. When assessed by cross-linking with 125I-labeled insulin or by immunoblotting, proreceptor-to-receptor ratios were increased 1.5- and 3.1-fold, respectively, in diabetic rats. The data suggest that uncontrolled diabetes may alter insulin receptor processing.