p70 S6 kinase (p70S6K) is a key enzyme involved in the control of protein synthesis. We have previously shown that this kinase is insulin sensitive in chicken muscle despite a relative insulin resistance in the early steps of insulin receptor signaling in this tissue, particularly with no change in tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate 1(IRS 1). The aim of the present study is to further study the p70S6K pathway in chicken muscle. By analyzing in silico several kinases involved in the protein kinase B (PKB also called AKT)/target of rapamycin (TOR)/p70S6K pathway in the chicken, we showed that the amino acid sequence of the proteins exhibited a very high identity with their homologs in mammalian species and Drosophila. We investigated the regulation of these kinases in vivo or in vitro. Refeeding and insulin treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased the phosphorylation and/or activity of kinases upstream of p70S6K such as AKT and TOR. Similarly, refeeding and insulin increased the phosphorylation of p70S6K on key residues (i.e. T389, T229 and T421/S424) and the phosphorylation of a p70S6K downstream target, the ribosomal protein S6 (by 3-10-fold, P < 0.05). Interestingly, we also showed an increase in the phosphorylation level of IRS 1 on S632/S635, sites involved in insulin resistance. In conclusion, the AKT/TOR/p70S6K pathway is activated by refeeding and insulin injection, which might negatively regulate IRS 1 tyrosine phosphorylation. These results indicate some particularities of the insulin signaling in chicken muscle and suggest the involvement of p70S6K in these features. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.