| First Author | Balamatsias D | Year | 2011 |
| Journal | J Biol Chem | Volume | 286 |
| Issue | 50 | Pages | 43229-40 |
| PubMed ID | 22002247 | Mgi Jnum | J:180700 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5306860 | Doi | 10.1074/jbc.M111.306621 |
| Citation | Balamatsias D, et al. (2011) Identification of P-Rex1 as a novel Rac1-guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that promotes actin remodeling and GLUT4 protein trafficking in adipocytes. J Biol Chem 286(50):43229-40 |
| abstractText | Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling promotes the translocation of the glucose transporter, GLUT4, to the plasma membrane in insulin-sensitive tissues to facilitate glucose uptake. In adipocytes, insulin-stimulated reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton has been proposed to play a role in promoting GLUT4 translocation and glucose uptake, in a PI3K-dependent manner. However, the PI3K effectors that promote GLUT4 translocation via regulation of the actin cytoskeleton in adipocytes remain to be fully elucidated. Here we demonstrate that the PI3K-dependent Rac exchange factor, P-Rex1, enhances membrane ruffling in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and promotes GLUT4 trafficking to the plasma membrane at submaximal insulin concentrations. P-Rex1-facilitated GLUT4 trafficking requires a functional actin network and membrane ruffle formation and occurs in a PI3K- and Rac1-dependent manner. In contrast, expression of other Rho GTPases, such as Cdc42 or Rho, did not affect insulin-stimulated P-Rex1-mediated GLUT4 trafficking. P-Rex1 siRNA knockdown or expression of a P-Rex1 dominant negative mutant reduced but did not completely inhibit glucose uptake in response to insulin. Collectively, these studies identify a novel RacGEF in adipocytes as P-Rex1 that, at physiological insulin concentrations, functions as an insulin-dependent regulator of the actin cytoskeleton that contributes to GLUT4 trafficking to the plasma membrane. |
