Incubating either Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells or 3T3-L1 adipocytes with insulin increased the phosphorylation of the eIF-4E-binding protein, PHAS-I. Insulin also activated p70S6K and the Erk-1 and Erk-2 isoforms of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase). However, the concentrations of the hormone needed to activate MAP kinase were 10–100 times higher than those needed to increase PHAS-I phosphorylation and p70S6K activity. Incubating cells with the inhibitor of MAP kinase kinase (MEK) activation, PD 098059, blocked the effects of low concentrations of insulin on PHAS-I and p70S6K. The effects of the inhibitor were overcome by increasing concentrations of insulin. The results indicate that insulin activates a PD 098059-sensitive kinase that is involved in the regulation of both p70S6K and PHAS-I.
