Amiloride inhibits insulin sensitivity and responsiveness in rat adipocytes through different mechanisms.

To investigate the mechanisms by which amiloride inhibits insulin action rat adipocytes were treated with insulin and with amiloride added before or after energy depleting the cells with 2 mM KCN. Amiloride decreased the insulin response on 3-0-methylglucose transport, IGF-II- and insulin binding in both intact and energy depleted cells. In contrast, the sensitivity to insulin was inhibited by amiloride only when it was added before KCN. The effect of amiloride on insulin sensitivity was probably exerted through the impaired activation of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase and the decreased insulin binding. However, insulin responsiveness was probably impaired through a direct effect on the plasma membrane proteins. In contrast to a recent report with pituitary cells, amiloride did not affect the activation of the inhibitory GTP-binding protein (Gi) in rat adipocytes.