Human circulating monocytes internalize 125I-insulin in a similar fashion to rat hepatocytes: relevance to receptor regulation in target and nontarget tissues.

Circulating monocytes bind 125I-insulin in a specific fashion and have been used to analyze the ambient receptor status in humans. When freshly isolated circulating monocytes are incubated with 125I-insulin and examined by electron microscopic autoradiography, approximately 18% of the labeled material is internalized after 15 minutes at 37 degrees C. By 2 hours at 37 degrees C, approximately one half of the 125I-insulin is internalized. Internalization occurs also at 15 degrees C but at a slower rate. Furthermore, the monocytes bind and internalize 125I-insulin in a manner that mirrors that of major target tissues, such as rat hepatocytes. These data suggest that the insulin receptor of the circulating monocyte might be regulated by adsorptive endocytosis in a manner analogous to that of target tissue, such as the liver.