Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein interacts with thioesterase superfamily member 2 to attenuate insulin signaling

Sci Signal. 2013 Jul 30;6(286):ra64. doi: 10.1126/scisignal.2004111.

Abstract

Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP) is a phospholipid-binding protein that is enriched in liver and that interacts with thioesterase superfamily member 2 (THEM2). Mice lacking either protein exhibit improved hepatic glucose homeostasis and are resistant to diet-induced diabetes. Insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) are key effectors of insulin signaling, which is attenuated in diabetes. We found that PC-TP inhibited IRS2, as evidenced by insulin-independent IRS2 activation after knockdown, genetic ablation, or chemical inhibition of PC-TP. In addition, IRS2 was activated after knockdown of THEM2, providing support for a role for the interaction of PC-TP with THEM2 in suppressing insulin signaling. Additionally, we showed that PC-TP bound to tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) and stabilized the components of the TSC1-TSC2 complex, which functions to inhibit mTORC1. Preventing phosphatidylcholine from binding to PC-TP disrupted interactions of PC-TP with THEM2 and TSC2, and disruption of the PC-TP-THEM2 complex was associated with increased activation of both IRS2 and mTORC1. In livers of mice with genetic ablation of PC-TP or that had been treated with a PC-TP inhibitor, steady-state amounts of IRS2 were increased, whereas those of TSC2 were decreased. These findings reveal a phospholipid-dependent mechanism that suppresses insulin signaling downstream of its receptor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Homeostasis
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Multiprotein Complexes / metabolism
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Signal Transduction
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Thiolester Hydrolases / genetics
  • Thiolester Hydrolases / metabolism*
  • Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Insulin
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins
  • TSC2 protein, human
  • Tsc2 protein, mouse
  • Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • ACOT13 protein, human
  • Acot13 protein, mouse
  • Thiolester Hydrolases
  • Glucose