HDL promotes adiponectin gene expression via the CAMKK/CAMKIV pathway
Adiponectin (APN) is an adipokine that protects against diabetes and atherosclerosis. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) mediates reverse cholesterol transport, which also protects against atherosclerosis. In this process, the human homolog of the B class type I scavenger receptor (SR-BI/CLA-1) facilitates the cellular uptake of cholesterol from HDL. The level of circulating adiponectin is positively correlated with the serum level of HDL-cholesterol. In this study, we investigated whether HDL stimulates the gene expression of adiponectin through the Ca²+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase IV (CaMKIV) cascade. Adiponectin expression was examined using real-time PCR and western blot analysis in 3T3-L1 cells incubated with HDL. CaMKIV activity was assessed by detection of activation loop phosphorylation (at Thr196 residue), and the effect of the constitutively active form, CaMKIVc, on adiponectin promoter activity was investigated. Our results showed that HDL stimulated APN gene expression via hSR-BI/CLA-1. Furthermore, we explored the signaling pathways by which HDL stimulated APN expression in 3T3-L1 cells. The stimulation of APN gene expression by HDL appears to be mediated by CaMKK, as STO-609, a specific inhibitor of CaMKK2, prevents this effect. We revealed that CaMKIVc increased APN gene transcriptional activity, and the CaMKIV dominant negative mutant blocked the effect of HDL on APN promoter activity. Finally, knockdown of hSR-BI/CLA-1 also cancelled the effect of HDL on APN gene expression. These results suggest that HDL has important role to improve the function of adipocytes by activating hSR-BI/CLA-1 and CaMKK/CaMKIV pathway is conceivable as one of the signaling pathways of this activation mechanism.