Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

An Adipocyte Cell Culture Model to Study the Impact of Protein and Micro-RNA Modulation on Adipocyte Function
Published on: May 4, 2021
Sennidin stimulates glucose incorporation in rat adipocytes
Daigo Abe1, Takeshi Saito, Keizo Sekiya
1National Agricultural Research Center for Western Region, 1-3-1 Senyu-cho, Zentsuji, Kagawa 765-8508, Japan.
Abstract:
A novel small molecule compound which exerts insulin mimetic is desirable. Dozens of natural products that have quinone, naphthoquinone, or anthraquinone structure, were tested by a glucose incorporation assay. We found that sennidin A, anthraquinone derivative, stimulated glucose incorporation to near level of maximal insulin-stimulated and sennidin B, a stereoisomer of sennidin A, also stimulated, but the activity of sennidin B was lower than sennidin A. Sennidin A-stimulated glucose incorporation was completely inhibited by wortmannin. Sennidin A did not induce tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor (IR) and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), but induced phosphorylation of Akt and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation. Our results suggest that in rat adipocytes, sennidin A stimulates glucose incorporation in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)- and Akt-dependent, but in the IR/IRS1-independent manner.
Related Concept Videos
Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways
Insulin Secretory Vesicles
Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by the...
Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion
Insulin and C-peptide are co-secreted in...
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...
Cell Specific Gene Expression
