Comparison of solubilized and purified plasma membrane and nuclear insulin receptors

Prior studies have detected biochemical and immunological differences between insulin receptors in plasma membranes and isolated nuclei. To further investigate these receptors, they were solubilized in Triton X-100 and partially purified by wheat germ agglutinin-agarose chromatography. In these preparations, the nuclear and plasma membrane receptors had very similar pH optima (pH 8.0) and reactivities to a group of polyclonal antireceptor antibodies. Further, both membrane preparations had identical binding activities when labeled insulin was competed for by unlabeled insulin (50% inhibition at 800 pM). Next, nuclear and plasma membranes were solubilized and purified to homogeneity by wheat germ agglutinin-agarose and insulin-agarose chromatography. In both receptors, labeled insulin was covalently cross-linked to a protein of 130 kilodaltons representing the insulin receptor alpha subunit. When preparations of both receptors were incubated with insulin and then adenosine 5'-[gamma-32P]triphosphate, a protein of 95 kilodaltons representing the insulin receptor beta subunit was phosphorylated in a dose-dependent manner. These studies indicate, therefore, that solubilized plasma membrane and nuclear insulin receptors have similar structures and biochemical properties, and they suggest that they are the same (or very similar) proteins.