Gangliosides are known as modulators of transmembrane signaling by regulating various
receptor functions. We have found that insulin resistance induced by tumor necrosis factor-α
(TNF-α) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes was accompanied by increased GM3 ganglioside expression
caused by elevating GM3 synthase activity and its mRNA. We also demonstrated that TNF-α
simultaneously produced insulin resistance by uncoupling insulin receptor activity toward
insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and suppressing insulin-sensitive glucose transport …