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Studying the Hypothalamic Insulin Signal to Peripheral Glucose Intolerance with a Continuous Drug Infusion System into the Mouse Brain
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Effect of fasting on insulin receptor-related receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in rat kidney

D Chrysis1, B M Moats-Staats, L E Underwood

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.

The Journal of Endocrinology
|October 31, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Nutrient restriction increases insulin receptor-related receptor (IRR) mRNA levels in rat kidneys. This suggests that the ligand for IRR may also be regulated by nutrient availability, similar to related receptors.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The insulin receptor-related receptor (IRR) is structurally similar to the insulin receptor (IR) and IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR).
  • The ligand, gene regulation, and biological function of IRR remain largely unknown.
  • mRNA levels of IR and IGF-IR are known to increase with nutrient restriction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of fasting on IRR mRNA levels in rat kidneys.
  • To compare changes in IRR mRNA with those of IR and IGF-IR mRNA during nutrient restriction.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized RNase protection assays to quantify mRNA levels.
  • Studied the effects of a 48-hour fasting period on rat kidneys.
  • Compared IRR mRNA levels to beta-actin as a control.

Main Results:

  • Observed a significant increase in steady-state levels of IRR mRNA in fasted rats compared to fed rats (P<0.01).
  • IRR mRNA levels showed a similar response to nutrient restriction as IR and IGF-IR mRNAs.

Conclusions:

  • Nutrient restriction significantly upregulates IRR mRNA in rat kidneys.
  • These findings suggest that the ligand for IRR may also be regulated by nutrient availability.

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