Insulin binding and 2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake in fast- and slow-twitch mouse skeletal muscle at 18 and 37 degrees C

Insulin binding, insulin degradation, and 2-deoxyglucose uptake were examined at 18 and 37 degrees C in soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles of mice. Insulin binding and degradation were greater in the soleus than in the extensor digitorum longus at both temperatures (p less than 0.05). At 37 degrees C, binding was decreased in both muscles while percentage degradation was increased in comparison with 18 degrees C (p less than 0.05). Dose--response curves (percentage of binding at 4 nM of insulin) remained the same for both muscles at the two temperatures. Basal (no insulin) 2-deoxyglucose uptake was increased at 37 degrees C in the extensor digitorum longus but not the soleus. Insulin responsiveness in terms of the amount of 2-deoxyglucose taken up per femtomole of insulin bound was almost identical for the two muscles at 18 degrees C, whereas at 37 degrees C it was increased more in the soleus than in the extensor digitorum longus. The results indicate that in the presence of physiological concentrations of insulin (0.2-4 nM), insulin binding trends are minimally affected by increased temperature. In contrast, the ability of insulin to stimulate 2-deoxyglucose uptake varies between the two temperatures, and at the higher temperature between fast- and slow-twitch muscle.