The group of Shinya KURODA and colleagues at the University of Tokyo has reconstructed a large-scale metabolic control network (transomics network) of genes whose expression conge by insulin stimulation and of (phosphorylated) proteins and metabolites whose concentrations change accordingly. They found that at high insulin concentrations gene expression is induced by transcription factor induction via the Erk pathway and that glucose metabolism via the Pi3k – Akt pathway is selectively controlled at low insulin concentration, respectively. It is thought that clarifying the selective response of the transomics network to insulin concentration will help to elucidate the physiological action of insulin and mechanisms related to type 2 diabetes.

JST news release, September 11, 2018