Activation by protein synthesis inhibitors of glucose transport into L6 muscle cells.

The effects of protein synthesis inhibitors on glucose transport into L6 myotubes was examined. Similar to the acute effects of insulin, short-term treatment with anisomycin or cycloheximide increased transport 2-fold. Kinetic studies demonstrated that this activation was due to a doubling in the Vmax values. The effects of anisomycin or cycloheximide were not additive to that of insulin. Both protein synthesis inhibitors caused only small increases in GLUT4 expression and negligible effects on GLUT1 expression. Anisomycin, as well as insulin, induced the translocation of both transporters from intracellular vesicles to the plasma membrane through not in quantities sufficient to entirely account for the activation of transport. The results indicate that protein synthesis inhibitors stimulate hexose transport in L6 myotubes by increasing the number of transporters in the plasma membrane and augmenting the intrinsic catalytic activity of the transporters.