Effects of epidermal growth factor and insulin on the activity of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V.

When quiescent rat hepatocellular carcinoma 7919 cells were treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) or insulin (stimulators of receptor tyrosine kinase activity), the activity of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V was increased. The effect of EGF reached a maximum after 10 min and remained high for 30 min, while the effect of insulin reached a maximum after 5 min and decreased after 15 min. Preincubation of the cells with 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methylglycerophosphocholine (Et18-OH3), which blocked the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase by EGF, also blocked the activation of N-acetylglucosamyltransferase V by this hormone, whereas the activation of N-acetylglucosamyltransferase V by insulin could not be blocked by Et18-OH3. Our results suggest that N-acetylglucosamyltransferase V may be regulated by different receptor protein tyrosine kinase pathways.