Metformin and phenformin activate AMP-activated protein kinase in the heart by increasing cytosolic AMP concentration

2007 ◽  
Vol 293 (1) ◽  
pp. H457-H466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Huamei He ◽  
James A. Balschi
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Isolated Heart ◽  
Acetyl Coa Carboxylase ◽  
Acetyl Coa ◽  
Cellular Energy ◽  
Rat Hearts ◽  
Energy Sensor ◽  
Ampk Activity ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Krebs Henseleit Buffer

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) acts as a cellular energy sensor: it responds to an increase in AMP concentration ([AMP]) or the AMP-to-ATP ratio (AMP/ATP). Metformin and phenformin, which are biguanides, have been reported to increase AMPK activity without increasing AMP/ATP. This study tests the hypothesis that these biguanides increase AMPK activity in the heart by increasing cytosolic [AMP]. Groups of isolated rat hearts ( n = 5–7 each) were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer with or without 0.2 mM phenformin or 10 mM metformin, and 31P-NMR-measured phosphocreatine, ATP, and intracellular pH were used to calculate cytosolic [AMP]. At various times, hearts were freeze-clamped and assayed for AMPK activity, phosphorylation of Thr172 on AMPK-α, and phosphorylation of Ser79 on acetyl-CoA carboxylase, an AMPK target. In hearts treated with phenformin for 18 min and then perfused for 20 min with Krebs-Henseleit buffer, [AMP] began to increase at 26 min and AMPK activity was elevated at 36 min. In hearts treated with metformin, [AMP] was increased at 50 min and AMPK activity, phosphorylated AMPK, and phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase were elevated at 61 min. In metformin-treated hearts, HPLC-measured total AMP content and total AMP/ATP did not increase. In summary, phenformin and metformin increase AMPK activity and phosphorylation in the isolated heart. The increase in AMPK activity was always preceded by and correlated with increased cytosolic [AMP]. Total AMP content and total AMP/ATP did not change. Cytosolic [AMP] reported metabolically active AMP, which triggered increased AMPK activity, but measures of total AMP did not.

Liver AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase during and after exercise

1999 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 669-674 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. L. Carlson ◽  
W. W. Winder
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Acetyl Coa Carboxylase ◽  
Acetyl Coa ◽  
Malonyl Coa ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Ampk Activity ◽  
Low Intensity Exercise ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase 1

Exercise induces a decline in liver malonyl-CoA, an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1. The purpose of these experiments was to determine whether this decrease in malonyl-CoA is accompanied by an activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inactivation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). Rats were killed at rest, after 10 min of running at 32 m/min up a 15% grade or at 0, 15, or 60 min postexercise after 120 min of running at 16 m/min. There was no significant difference in AMPK and ACC activities after 120 min of exercise, although a trend toward a decrease in ACC and an increase in AMPK was noted 15 min postexercise. After 10 min at 32 m/min, however, maximal ACC activity decreased from 487 ± 27 to 280 ± 39 nmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ min−1, and the activation constant for citrate activation of ACC increased from 5.9 to 12.5 mM. AMPK activity increased from a resting value of 4.7 ± 0.4 to 9.8 ± 2.0 pmol ⋅ mg−1 ⋅ min−1after exercise. These data provide indirect evidence of phosphorylation and inactivation of liver ACC during heavy exercise. In contrast, the decrease in malonyl-CoA during long-term, low-intensity exercise may occur by mechanisms other than phosphorylation of ACC.

Relationship between 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-ribotide and AMP-activated protein kinase activity in the perfused mouse heart

2006 ◽  
Vol 290 (3) ◽  
pp. H1235-H1243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Markus Frederich ◽  
Huamei He ◽  
James A. Balschi
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Maximal Activity ◽  
Mouse Heart ◽  
Protein Kinase Activity ◽  
Energy Sensor ◽  
Ampk Activity ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Krebs Henseleit Buffer

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a cellular energy sensor whose activity responds to AMP concentration ([AMP]). An agent that activates AMPK in cells is 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-riboside (AICA-riboside). Phosphorylated AICA-riboside or AICA-ribotide (ZMP) is an AMP analog. It is generally assumed that ZMP accumulation does not alter [AMP]. Additionally, the effect of AICA-riboside on AMPK activity of the heart is uncertain. Two hypotheses were tested in the isolated mouse heart: 1) sufficient ZMP concentration ([ZMP]) forms to increase AMPK activity, and 2) [ZMP] accumulation increases [AMP]. Perfusion of isolated mouse hearts with Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing 0.15–2 mM AICA-riboside concentration resulted in [ZMP] of 2–8 mM. ZMP accumulation reduced phosphocreatine concentration, which increased cytosolic [AMP]. In hearts with [ZMP] less than ∼3 mM, in vivo AMPK allosteric activity effects of ZMP were observed; AMPK phosphorylation and [AMP] were not increased. With [ZMP] between 3 and 5 mM, in vitro AMPK activity and phosphorylation increased with unchanged [AMP]. This occurred in hearts perfused with 0.25 mM AICA-riboside for 48 min and 0.5 mM AICA-riboside for 24 min. The [ZMP] resulting in 50% AMPK activity (covalent phosphorylation of AMPK) was 4.1 ± 0.6 mM. Hearts with [ZMP] >5 mM displayed increased [AMP] and AMPK activity that was not different from hearts with similar [AMP] with no [ZMP]; the half-maximal activity of AMP was 5.6 ± 1.6 μM. Thus, in mouse hearts, AICA-riboside was metabolized to [ZMP] adequately to increase AMPK activity. Higher [ZMP] also increased cytosolic [AMP], which affects AMPK activity.

Effect of phosphorylation by AMP-activated protein kinase on palmitoyl-CoA inhibition of skeletal muscle acetyl-CoA carboxylase

2005 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 1221-1227 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. Rubink ◽  
W. W. Winder
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Fatty Acid Oxidation ◽  
Acid Oxidation ◽  
Acetyl Coa Carboxylase ◽  
Acetyl Coa ◽  
Oxidation Rates ◽  
Malonyl Coa ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has previously been demonstrated to phosphorylate and inactivate skeletal muscle acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), the enzyme responsible for synthesis of malonyl-CoA, an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 and fatty acid oxidation. Contraction-induced activation of AMPK with subsequent phosphorylation/inactivation of ACC has been postulated to be responsible in part for the increase in fatty acid oxidation that occurs in muscle during exercise. These studies were designed to answer the question: Does phosphorylation of ACC by AMPK make palmitoyl-CoA a more effective inhibitor of ACC? Purified rat muscle ACC was subjected to phosphorylation by AMPK. Activity was determined on nonphosphorylated and phosphorylated ACC preparations at acetyl-CoA concentrations ranging from 2 to 500 μM and at palmitoyl-CoA concentrations ranging from 0 to 100 μM. Phosphorylation resulted in a significant decline in the substrate saturation curve at all palmitoyl-CoA concentrations. The inhibitor constant for palmitoyl-CoA inhibition of ACC was reduced from 1.7 ± 0.25 to 0.85 ± 0.13 μM as a consequence of phosphorylation. At 0.5 mM citrate, ACC activity was reduced to 13% of control values in response to the combination of phosphorylation and 10 μM palmitoyl-CoA. Skeletal muscle ACC is more potently inhibited by palmitoyl-CoA after having been phosphorylated by AMPK. This may contribute to low-muscle malonyl-CoA values and increasing fatty acid oxidation rates during long-term exercise when plasma fatty acid concentrations are elevated.

scholarly journals Glucagon Activates the AMP‐Activated Protein Kinase/Acetyl‐CoA Carboxylase Pathway in Adipocytes

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
I‐Chen Peng ◽  
Zhen Chen ◽  
Pang‐Hung Hsu ◽  
Mei‐I Su ◽  
Ming‐Daw Tsai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Acetyl Coa Carboxylase ◽  
Acetyl Coa ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase

Hypoxia and AMP independently regulate AMP-activated protein kinase activity in heart

2005 ◽  
Vol 288 (5) ◽  
pp. H2412-H2421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Frederich ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
James A. Balschi
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Metabolic Inhibitors ◽  
Protein Kinase Activity ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Rat Hearts ◽  
Upstream Kinase ◽  
Ampk Activity ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase

The hypothesis was tested that hypoxia increases AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity independently of AMP concentration ([AMP]) in heart. In isolated perfused rat hearts, cytosolic [AMP] was changed from 0.2 to 16 μM using metabolic inhibitors during both normal oxygenation (95% O2-5% CO2, normoxia) and limited oxygenation (95% N2-5% CO2, hypoxia). Total AMPK activity measured in vitro ranged from 2 to 40 pmol·min−1·mg protein−1 in normoxic hearts and from 5 to 55 pmol·min−1·mg protein−1 in hypoxic hearts. The dependence of the in vitro total AMPK activity on the in vivo cytosolic [AMP] was determined by fitting the measurements from individual hearts to a hyperbolic equation. The [AMP] resulting in half-maximal total AMPK activity ( A0.5) was 3 ± 1 μM for hypoxic hearts and 28 ± 13 μM for normoxic hearts. The A0.5 for α2-isoform AMPK activity was 2 ± 1 μM for hypoxic hearts and 13 ± 8 μM for normoxic hearts. Total AMPK activity correlated with the phosphorylation of the Thr172 residue of the AMPK α-subunit. In potassium-arrested hearts perfused with variable O2 content, α-subunit Thr172 phosphorylation increased at O2 ≤ 21% even though [AMP] was <0.3 μM. Thus hypoxia or O2 ≤ 21% increased AMPK phosphorylation and activity independently of cytosolic [AMP]. The hypoxic increase in AMPK activity may result from either direct phosphorylation of Thr172 by an upstream kinase or reduction in the A0.5 for [AMP].

Skeletal muscle basal AMP-activated protein kinase activity is chronically elevated in alloxan-diabetic dogs: impact of exercise

2003 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 1523-1530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Christopher ◽  
Zhi-Ping Chen ◽  
Christian Rantzau ◽  
Bruce E. Kemp ◽  
Frank P. Alford
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Vastus Lateralis ◽  
Glucose Disposal ◽  
Protein Kinase Activity ◽  
Acetyl Coa Carboxylase ◽  
Acetyl Coa ◽  
Peripheral Tissues ◽  
Diabetic Dogs ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase

The effect of diabetes and exercise on skeletal muscle (SkM) AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)α1 and -α2 activities and site-specific phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase was examined in the same six dogs before alloxan (35 mg/kg)-induced diabetes (C) and after 4-5 wk of suboptimally controlled hyperglycemic and hypoinsulinemic diabetes (DHG) in the presence and absence of 300-min phlorizin (50 μg·kg-1·min-1)-induced “normoglycemia” (DNG). In each study, the dog underwent a 150-min [3-3H]glucose infusion period, followed by a 30-min treadmill exercise test (60-70% maximal oxygen capacity) to measure the rate of glucose disposal into peripheral tissues (Rdtissue). SkM biopsies were taken from the thigh (vastus lateralis) before and immediately after exercise. In the C and DHG states, the rise in plasma free fatty acids (FFA) with exercise (∼40%) was similar. In the DNG group, preexercise FFA were significantly higher, but the absolute rise in FFA with exercise was similar. However, the exercise-induced increment in Rdtissue was significantly blunted (by ∼40-50%) in the DNG group compared with the other states. In SkM, preexercise AMPKα1 and -α2 activities were significantly elevated (by ∼60-125%) in both diabetic states, but unlike the C group these activities did not rise further with exercise. Additionally, preexercise acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphorylation in both diabetic states was elevated by ∼70-80%, but the increases with exercise were similar to the C group. Preexercise AMPKα1 and -α2 activities were negatively correlated with Rdtissue during exercise for the combined groups (both P < 0.02). In conclusion, the elevated preexercise SkM AMPKα1 and -α2 activities contribute to the ongoing basal supply of glucose and fatty acid metabolism in suboptimally controlled hypoinsulinemic diabetic dogs; but whether they also play a permissive role in the metabolic stress response to exercise remains uncertain.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document