The insulin-like effects of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) in the isolated fat cell.

Recent data from many laboratories suggest that insulin stimulates diacylglycerol formation. Data presented in this manuscript demonstrate an insulin-like effect of PMA, a tumor promoting agent that mimics the action of diacylglycerol, in isolated adipocytes on; (a) glucose oxidation using uniformly labelled, C-1-labelled and C-6-labelled glucose, (b) epinephrine-induced lipolysis and (c) low Km cAMP phosphodiesterase activity. Additionally, a lipolytic effect of PMA is identified when unopposed by epinephrine. These data not only demonstrate an insulin-like effect of phorbol esters in adipose tissue but they lend support to the concept of diacylglycerol involvement in the mechanism of insulin action.