AMP-dependent Protein Kinase (amp-dependent + protein_kinase)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


AMPK-dependent hormonal regulation of whole-body energy metabolism

ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 1 2009
N. L. Dzamko
Abstract AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine protein kinase central to the regulation of energy balance at both the cellular and whole-body levels. In its classical role as an intracellular metabolic stress-sensing kinase, AMPK switches on fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake in muscle, while switching off hepatic gluconeogenesis. AMPK also has a broader role in metabolism through the control of appetite. Regulation of AMPK activity at the whole-body level is coordinated by a growing number of hormones and cytokines secreted from adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, pancreas and the gut including leptin, adiponectin, insulin, interluekin-6, resistin, TNF-, and ghrelin. Understanding how these secreted signalling proteins regulate AMPK activity to control fatty acid oxidation, glucose uptake, gluconeogenesis and appetite may yield therapeutic treatments for metabolic disorders such as diabetes, insulin resistance and obesity. [source]


AKAP-independent localization of type-II protein kinase A to dynamic actin microspikes

CYTOSKELETON, Issue 9 2009
Robert L. Rivard
Abstract Regulation of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) in subcellular space is required for cytoskeletal dynamics and chemotaxis. Currently, spatial regulation of PKA is thought to require the association of PKA regulatory (R) subunits with A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs). Here, we show that the regulatory RII, subunit of PKA associates with dynamic actin microspikes in an AKAP-independent manner. Both endogenous RII, and a GFP-RII, fusion protein co-localize with F-actin in microspikes within hippocampal neuron growth cones and the leading edge lamellae of NG108-15 cells. Live-cell imaging demonstrates that RII,-associated microspikes are highly dynamic and that the coupling of RII, to actin is tight, as the movement of both actin and RII, are immediately and coincidently stopped by low-dose cytochalasin D. Importantly, co-localization of RII, and actin in these structures is resistant to displacement by a cell-permeable disrupter of PKA-AKAP interactions. Biochemical fractionation confirms that a substantial pool of PKA RII, is associated with the detergent-insoluble cytoskeleton and is resistant to extraction by a peptide inhibitor of AKAP interactions. Finally, mutation of the AKAP-binding domain of RII, fails to disrupt its association with actin microspikes. These data provide the first demonstration of the physical association of a kinase with such dynamic actin structures, as well as the first demonstration of the ability of type-II PKA to localize to discrete subcellular structures independently of canonical AKAP function. This association is likely to be important for microfilament dynamics and cell migration and may prime the investigation of novel mechanisms for localizing PKA activity. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Opposite regulation by typical and atypical anti-psychotics of ERK1/2, CREB and Elk-1 phosphorylation in mouse dorsal striatum

JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2003
Laura Pozzi
Abstract The two mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), are involved in the control of gene expression via phosphorylation and activation of the transcription factors cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) and Elk-1. Here, we have examined the effect of haloperidol and clozapine, two anti-psychotic drugs, and eticlopride, a selective dopamine D2 receptor antagonist, on the state of phosphorylation of ERK1/2, CREB and Elk-1, in the mouse dorsal striatum. Administration of the typical anti-psychotic haloperidol stimulated the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, CREB and Elk-1. Virtually identical results were obtained using eticlopride. In contrast, the atypical anti-psychotic clozapine reduced ERK1/2, CREB and Elk-1 phosphorylation. This opposite regulation was specifically exerted by haloperidol and clozapine on ERK, CREB, and Elk-1 phosphorylation, as both anti-psychotic drugs increased the phosphorylation of the dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein of 32 kDa (DARPP-32) at the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) site. The activation of CREB and Elk-1 induced by haloperidol appeared to be achieved via different signalling pathways, as inhibition of ERK1/2 activation abolished the stimulation of Elk-1 phosphorylation without affecting CREB phosphorylation. This study shows that haloperidol and clozapine induce distinct patterns of phosphorylation in the dorsal striatum. The results provide a novel biochemical paradigm elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the distinct therapeutic actions of typical and atypical anti-psychotic agents. [source]


Therapeutic Potential of H11 Kinase for the Ischemic Heart

CARDIOVASCULAR THERAPEUTICS, Issue 1 2007
Ilan J. Danan
ABSTRACT H11 kinase (H11K) is a small heat shock protein expressed predominantly in the heart and skeletal muscle, which plays a critical role in the maintenance of cardiac cell survival and in promoting cell growth through the activation of complementary signaling pathways. An overexpression of H11K was detected in various forms of heart disease, both in animal models and in patients, including acute and chronic ventricular dysfunction, and myocardial hypertrophy. Overexpression of H11K was reproduced in a cardiac-specific transgenic model, which led to significant progress in understanding the role and mechanism of action of the protein. Increased expression of H11K confers a cardioprotection that is equivalent to ischemic preconditioning; it promotes cardiac hypertrophy while maintaining contractile function. The overexpression of H11K is sufficient to activate most of the signaling pathways involved in cardiac cell growth and survival, including the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt pathway, the AMP-dependent protein kinase, the PKC, pathway of ischemic preconditioning, the nitric oxide pathway of delayed cardioprotection, and the mTOR pathway of cell growth. As a result, the survival response triggered by H11K in the heart includes antiapoptosis, cytoprotection, preconditioning, growth, and metabolic stimulation. In addition to activating signaling pathways, H11K promotes the subcellular translocation and crosstalk of intracellular messengers. This review discusses the biological function of H11K, its molecular mechanisms of action, and its potential therapeutic relevance. In particular, we discuss how preemptive conditioning of the heart by H11K might be beneficial for patients with ischemic heart disease who would be at risk of further irreversible cardiac damage. [source]


GH-secreting pituitary adenomas infrequently contain inactivating mutations of PRKAR1A and LOH of 17q23,24

CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 4 2003
Hiroyuki Yamasaki
Summary objective The molecular events leading to the development of GH-secreting pituitary tumours remain largely unknown. Gs, (GNAS1) mutations are found in 27,43% of sporadic GH-secreting adenomas in the Caucasian population, but the frequency of GNAS1 mutations in Japanese and Korean acromegalic patients was reported to be lower, 4,9% and 16%, respectively. Other genes responsible for the tumourigenesis of GH-secreting pituitary adenomas have not been detected yet. PRKAR1A, which codes for the RI, regulatory subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) on 17q23,24, was recently reported to contain inactivating mutations in some Carney complex families, which involved GH-secreting adenomas in about 10%. We re-evaluated the frequency of GNAS1 mutations and investigated PRKAR1A on the hypothesis that it might play a role in the tumourigenesis of GH-secreting adenomas. design We analysed exons 8 and 9 of GNAS1 and all exons and the exon,intron boundaries of PRKAR1A with the PCR and by direct sequencing using genomic DNA extracted from 32 GH-secreting pituitary adenomas (30 GH-secreting adenomas, two GH and PRL-secreting adenomas) and 28 corresponding peripheral blood samples, and performed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis of 17q23,24 with four microsatellite markers and intragenic markers of PRKAR1A. results Seventeen of 32 (53·1%) tumours showed somatic-activating mutations of GNAS1: 16 (53·3%) of 30 GH-secreting adenomas and one of two GH and PRL-secreting adenomas. Neither inactivating somatic mutations of PRKAR1A nor LOH of 17q23,24 were detected in any of the tumours examined. conclusion We reconfirm the important role of activating mutations of GNAS1 in GH-secreting adenomas, and conclude that PRKAR1A does not play a significant role in the tumourigenesis. [source]