Potent activation of multiple signalling pathways by C-peptide in opossum kidney proximal tubular cells

Aims/hypothesis Proinsulin C-peptide is generally believed to be inert without any appreciable biological functions. However, it has been shown to modulate a variety of cellular processes important in the pathophysiology of diabetic complications. We therefore investigated the ability of C-peptide to stimulate intracellular signalling pathways in kidney proximal tubular cells, the altered activation of which may possibly be related to the development of diabetic nephropathy.Methods Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt phosphorylation were evaluated by western blotting. ERK activity was measured by in vitro kinase assay. Intracellular Ca²⁺ was evaluated by confocal imaging. The membrane and cytosol-associated fractions of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms were evaluated by western blotting. Proliferation was assessed by thymidine incorporation assay.Results Using the opossum proximal tubular kidney cell line as a model, we demonstrated that at high picomolar to low nanomolar concentrations, C-peptide stimulates extracellular signal-regulated mitogen-activated kinase (3.3±0.1-fold over basal at 3 minutes) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (4.1±0.05-fold over basal at 5 minutes). ERK activation was attenuated by pre-treatment with a PKC inhibitor and abolished by pertussis toxin. Elevations of intracellular Ca²⁺] are seen in response to 5 nmol/l C-peptide with consequent activation of PKC-. Pre-treatment with pertussis toxin abolished PKC-. C-peptide is also a functional mitogen in this cell type, stimulating significantly increased cell proliferation. Proliferation was attenuated by wortmannin and pertussis toxin pre-treatments. None of these effects is reproduced by scrambled C-peptide.Conclusions/interpretation This study provides evidence that C-peptide, within physiological concentration ranges, stimulates many signalling pathways in opossum kidney cells.Abbreviations Akt/PKB protein kinase B - DTT dithiothreitol - ERK extracellular signal-regulated kinase - GPCR G-protein coupled receptor - MAPK mitogen-activated protein kinase - OK opossum kidney - PI3-K phosphoinositide 3-kinase - PKC protein kinase C - PMA phorbol myristate acetate - PMSF phenylmethansulfonylfluoride - PTC proximal tubular cells - PTX pertussis toxin