Effects of beta-naphthoflavone on insulin receptor binding and protein kinase activity in rat liver and placenta

Studies investigating the effects of beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF) on insulin receptor binding and its intrinsic protein kinase activity in rat liver and placenta were performed. Membranes were prepared from maternal liver and placenta on gestation day 11 and used for [125I]insulin radioreceptor assay. Scatchard analysis showed that association constants (Ka) for high affinity binding sites were similar for placental and liver membrane. The administration of beta NF, 15 mg/kg, 1 day before study did not alter the specific binding of insulin to liver membranes, whereas ligand binding to placental preparations was decreased 40% from control. Scatchard analysis of binding to placental membranes suggests that beta NF treatment was associated with a change in the number of high affinity binding sites. In further studies membrane receptors were solubilized and partially purified by wheat germ agglutinin affinity chromatography for protein kinase assay. Insulin stimulated the phosphorylation of the Mr 95,000 subunit of the receptor in lectin-purified membrane proteins from liver and placenta. In liver receptor preparations, beta NF treatment was associated with a nearly 3-fold increase in the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of the 95-kD protein. In contrast, placental receptor preparations showed a 40% decrease in the extent of autophosphorylation following beta NF treatment. Insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of an exogenous substrate poly(Glu4, Tyr) also showed a divergent pattern of changes in liver and placental receptors following beta NF treatment. In studies during late gestation (day 18), beta NF treatment was also associated with an increase in liver receptor kinase activity, whereas placental receptors showed a decrease in autophosphorylation. Thus, acute treatment with beta NF during mid and late gestation was associated with significant alterations in insulin receptor protein kinase activity, and data suggest that fetal insulin receptors may respond in a different manner than maternal receptors to polyaromatic compounds like beta NF. The observed effects of beta NF on liver and placental receptor kinase activity may be related to alterations in insulin function in the regulation of pregnancy and fetoplacental growth.