The role of cell surface sialic acid in insulin receptor function and insulin action

Removal of cell surface sialic acid from adipocytes with neuraminidase inhibits insulin action. Here, we have examined the effects of mild neuraminidase treatment (5 milliunits/ml, 12 degrees C, 15 min) on insulin receptor structure and function. Neuraminidase treatment sufficient to cause greater than 90% loss of insulin stimulatable lipogenesis had no effect on 125I-insulin binding, tyrosine kinase activity of partially purified insulin receptors, insulin receptor phosphorylation in intact cells, or insulin-induced receptor internalization. However, recycling of the insulin receptor to the plasma membrane was inhibited by 50%. Recycled receptors in neuraminidase-treated cells were unable to mediate insulin action in contrast to recycled receptors from non-neuraminidase-treated cells. Furthermore, when insulin receptors were protected from exposure to neuraminidase, by inducing receptor internalization prior to neuraminidase treatment, the cells were still unable to respond to insulin. Analysis of the alpha and beta subunits of the receptor from neuraminidase-treated cells, affinity-labeled with 125I-insulin, or labeled by autophosphorylation, and subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis failed to indicate any changes in the holoreceptor or the individual subunits. This suggests there was no detectable release of sialic acid from the receptor. From this data we conclude that loss of sialic acid from nonreceptor glycoconjugates leads to loss of insulin action and inhibition of receptor recycling. The insulin receptor does not appear to be involved in this inhibitory effect. These findings suggest that an uncharacterized plasma membrane glycoprotein is essential in transmitting the "signal" of insulin binding to the cellular effector system.