Effect of glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU 38486 on acute glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance in rat adipocytes.

We examined the mechanism of acute glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance in rat adipocytes using the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU 38486. Pretreatment with dexamethasone (DEX) and prednisolone for 60 minutes resulted in 50% inhibition of insulin-induced [3H]2-deoxyglucose (DOG) uptake at 10(-8) and 10(-7) mol/L, respectively, in rat adipocytes and 20% and 25% inhibition of insulin-induced [3H]2-DOG uptake, respectively, in soleus muscles. Our previous experiments indicated that DEX and prednisolone alone stimulate protein kinase C (PKC) in rat adipocytes. Accordingly, we examined [3H]DEX binding to PKC from MonoQ column-purified rat brain cytosol. Specific [3H]DEX binding to MonoQ column-purified PKC was observed (kd, 56.8 nmol/L; Bmax, 725 fmol/mg protein). Thus, insulin-induced PKC translocation from the cytosol to the membrane was suppressed by pretreatment with 10(-7) mol/L DEX and 10(-6) mol/L prednisolone for 80 minutes. During treatment with RU 38486 for 60 minutes, there was no change in the glucocorticoid-induced inhibitory effect on insulin-induced [3H]2-DOG uptake and PKC translocation from the cytosol to the membrane. Moreover, pretreatment with RU 38486 for 120 minutes slightly prevented the DEX-mediated inhibition of insulin-induced glucose uptake. These results suggest that acute glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance may be mainly mediated through the other non-glucocorticoid receptor pathway.