Common pathway for the induction of hexose transport by insulin and stress

The effect of stress (heat shock, arsenite, or Semliki Forest virus [SFV] infection) on the induction of increased hexose transport has been compared with that of insulin. All four treatments increase the Vmax for transport by BHK cells three- to five-fold, with little effect (less than 40% decrease) on Km. Hydrogen peroxide and phenylarsine oxide (PAO) prevent the increase in hexose transport induced by stress treatments as effectively as they do that induced by insulin. Pinocytosis is not affected by any of the four treatments. On the other hand, the induction by insulin is sensitive to amiloride, whereas that by arsenite is not. Rat embryo fibroblasts, which respond poorly to insulin, respond well to arsenite, heat shock, or SFV infection. It is concluded that the stress response is mediated by certain compounds that may be common to those required for the action of insulin, but that those compounds act at a stage subsequent to the function of the insulin receptor.