Effect of hypothermia on the insulin-receptor interaction in skeletal muscle plasma membranes

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of hypothermia on (125J)-insulin binding to rat skeletal muscle membranes and to determine whether the decrease in blood insulin concentration could be related to changes in the number or in the affinity of insulin receptor sites according to the down-regulation theory. Rat skeletal muscle membranes were prepared from control, normothermic rats (Tr = 35.6 +/- 0.3 degree C) and hypothermic rats (Tr = 26.0 +/- 0.5 degree C) and purified according to Havrankowa. In order to determine the kinetic parameters of the hormone-receptor interaction the data from the competition binding studies were analysed by the method of Scatchard using the LIGAND Pc.v.3.1. computer program of Munson and Rodbard. We have shown that under hypothermic conditions insulin receptors number is significantly increased in specific hindlimb skeletal muscles but the changes take place mainly in the low affinity receptors class. The phenomenon probably results from the lack of spare high affinity insulin receptors in skeletal muscle as shown recently by Camps et al.