Skeletal Muscle acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Research Articles

Plasma acylcarnitines during insulin stimulation in humans are reflective of age-related metabolic dysfunction

The purpose of this study was to determine if plasma acylcarnitine (AC) profiling is altered under hyperinsulinemic conditions as part of the aging process. Fifteen young, lean (19–29 years) and fifteen middle-to older-aged (57–82 years) individuals underwent a 2-hr euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. Plasma samples were obtained at baseline, 20 min, 50 min, and 120 min for analysis of AC species and amino acids. Skeletal muscle biopsies were performed after 60 min of insulin-stimulation for analysis of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation. Insulin infusion decreased the majority of plasma short-, medium-, and long-chain (SC, MC, and LC, respectively) AC. However, during the initial 50 min, a number of MC and LC AC species (C10, C10:1, C12:1, C14, C16, C16:1, C18) remained elevated in aged individuals compared to their younger counterparts indicating a lag in responsiveness. Additionally, the insulin-induced decline in skeletal muscle ACC phosphorylation was blunted in the aged compared to young individuals (−24% vs. −56%, P < 0.05). These data suggest that a desensitization to insulin during aging, possibly at the level of skeletal muscle ACC phosphorylation, results in a diminished ability to transition to glucose oxidation indicative of metabolic inflexibility.

GLP-1(32-36)amide Pentapeptide Increases Basal Energy Expenditure and Inhibits Weight Gain in Obese Mice.

The prevalence of obesity-related diabetes is increasing worldwide. Here we report the identification of a pentapeptide, GLP-1(32-36)amide (LVKGRamide), derived from the glucoincretin hormone GLP-1, that increases basal energy expenditure and curtails the development of obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and hepatic steatosis in diet-induced obese mice. The pentapeptide inhibited weight gain, reduced fat mass without change in energy intake, and increased basal energy expenditure independent of physical activity. Analyses of tissues from peptide-treated mice reveal increased expression of UCP-1 and UCP-3 in brown adipose tissue and increased UCP-3 and inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in skeletal muscle, findings consistent with increased fatty acid oxidation and thermogenesis. In palmitate-treated C2C12 skeletal myotubes, GLP-1(32-36)amide activated AMPK and inhibited acetyl-CoA carboxylase, suggesting activation of fat metabolism in response to energy depletion. By mass spectroscopy, the pentapeptide is rapidly formed from GLP-1(9-36)amide, the major form of GLP-1 in the circulation of mice. These findings suggest that the reported insulin-like actions of GLP-1 receptor agonists that occur independently of the GLP-1 receptor might be mediated by the pentapeptide, and the previously reported nonapeptide (FIAWLVKGRamide). We propose that by increasing basal energy expenditure, GLP-1(32-36)amide might be a useful treatment for human obesity and associated metabolic disorders.

Postexercise whole body heat stress additively enhances endurance training-induced mitochondrial adaptations in mouse skeletal muscle.

A recent study demonstrated that heat stress induces mitochondrial biogenesis in C2C12 myotubes, thereby implying that heat stress may be an effective treatment to enhance endurance training-induced mitochondrial adaptations in skeletal muscle. However, whether heat stress actually induces mitochondrial adaptations in skeletal muscle in vivo is unclear. In the present study, we report the novel findings that 1) whole body heat stress produced by exposure of ICR mice to a hot environment (40°C, 30 min/day, 5 days/wk, 3 wk) induced mitochondrial adaptations such as increased mitochondrial enzyme activity (citrate synthase and 3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase) and respiratory chain protein content (complexes I-V) in skeletal muscle in vivo and 2) postexercise whole body heat stress additively enhanced endurance training-induced mitochondrial adaptations (treadmill running, 25 m/min, 30 min/day, 5 days/wk, 3 wk). Moreover, to determine the candidate mechanisms underlying mitochondrial adaptations, we investigated the acute effects of postexercise whole body heat stress on the phosphorylation status of cellular signaling cascades that subsequently induce mitochondrial gene transcription. We found that whole body heat stress boosted the endurance exercise-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, increased the phosphorylation status of p70S6K, a biomarker of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 activity, and unexpectedly dephosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase and its downstream target acetyl-CoA carboxylase in skeletal muscle. Our present observations suggest that heat stress can act as an effective postexercise treatment. Heat stress treatment appeared to be clinically beneficial for people who have difficulty participating in sufficient exercise training, such as the elderly, injured athletes, and patients.

Brca1 Is Expressed And Binds To Phosphorylated Acetyl Coa Carboxylase In Skeletal Muscle

Breast cancer early onset type 1 (BRCA1) is an estrogen sensitive gene known to play a critical role in the prevention breast tumorigenesis and is also thought to contribute to DNA damage repair. Recently in breast tissue, BRCA1 was identified as a binding partner and regulator of acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) activity suggesting BRCA1 may act as a regulator of lipid metabolism. Currently, the role of BRCA1 has yet to be characterized in skeletal muscle. The purpose of this study was to determine if BRCA1 was expressed in skeletal muscle and if it could be immunoprecipated with the phosphorylated form of ACC (ACC-p). BRCA1 mRNA and protein was identified in skeletal muscle with the highest levels being detected in more oxidative muscles (i.e. soleus and gastrocnemius) and lower levels detected in glycolytic muscles (i.e. tibialis anterior). Further, our data suggest that BRCA1 expression in skeletal muscle is estrogen sensitive, in that BRCA1 mRNA expression was higher in female mice compared to both male and surgically ovariectomized female mice. To determine if BRCA1 could be immunoprecipated with ACC-p, acute treadmill running was utilized to induce increases in ACC-p content through exercise-induced activation of AMP-kinase. In preliminary experiments we found that female mice running at treadmill speeds of ∼27m/min for 25-30 min elicited significant increases in AMPK phosphorylation (Thr-172) and ACC-p (Ser79) content. Female C57/BL6 mice were acclimated to treadmill exercise and were then subjected to an acute bout of exercise (26.5±0.3 m/min for 28.3±2.2min). Immediately after the exercise bout, the gastrocnemius muscle was removed and snap frozen in liquid nitrogen. In response to an acute bout of treadmill exercise ACC phosphorylation (Ser 79) was increased significantly by 43% compared to the sedentary mice. No changes in total ACC were detected between groups. After samples underwent immunoprecipation with an antibody specific to BRCA1, we detected significantly more ACC-p bound to BRCA1 (176%) in the exercised group compared to the sendentary group. There were no differences detected in the total amount of BRCA1 immunoprecipitated between groups. These data indicate that in similar fashion to breast tissue, BRCA1 can bind to the phosphorylated form of ACC in skeletal muscle. These results suggest that BRCA1 is expressed in skeletal muscle and is potentially acting as a novel regulator of ACC in skeletal muscle in response to an acute bout of exercise.

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

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 microM and at palmitoyl-CoA concentrations ranging from 0 to 100 microM. 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 microM 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 muM 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.

Long-term regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase in skeletal muscle

Evidence is accumulating for roles of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in controlling glucose uptake, fatty acid oxidation and gene expression in skeletal muscle. Relatively little is known, however, about the control of expression of the AMPK subunit isoforms. Marked differences are noted in subunit expression as a function of muscle fibre type. Expression of the gamma3 subunit isoform increases in fast-twitch red fibres of the rat in response to training. All subunit isoforms are expressed to a lesser extent in rats treated with propylthiouracil (PTU; an inhibitor of thyroid hormone synthesis) for 3 weeks compared with rats given excess thyroid hormones for 3 weeks. An approx. 2-fold increase in acetyl-CoA carboxylase was observed in gastrocnemius of hyperthyroid rats compared with experimentally hypothyroid rats. Thyroid state therefore appears to be one important factor controlling expression of these proteins in skeletal muscle.

MEDICA 16 inhibits hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase and reduces plasma triacylglycerol levels in insulin-resistant JCR: LA-cp rats.

Intracellular triacylglycerol (TG) content of liver and skeletal muscle contributes to insulin resistance, and a significant correlation exists between TG content and the development of insulin resistance. Because acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) is the rate-limiting enzyme for liver fatty acid biosynthesis and a key regulator of muscle fatty acid oxidation, we examined whether ACC plays a role in the accumulation of intracellular TG. We also determined the potential role of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in this process, since it can phosphorylate and inhibit ACC activity in both liver and muscle. TG content, ACC, and AMPK were examined in the liver and skeletal muscle of insulin-resistant JCR:LA-cp rats during the time frame when insulin resistance develops. At 12 weeks of age, there was a threefold elevation in liver TG content and a sevenfold elevation in skeletal muscle TG content. Hepatic ACC activity was significantly elevated in 12-week-old JCR:LA-cp rats compared with lean age-matched controls (8.75 +/- 0.53 vs. 3.30 +/- 0.18 nmol. min(-1). mg(-1), respectively), even though AMPK activity was also increased. The observed increase in hepatic ACC activity was accompanied by a 300% increase in ACC protein expression. There were no significant differences in ACC activity, ACC protein expression, or AMPK activity in the skeletal muscle of the 12-week JCR:LA-cp rats. Treatment of 12-week JCR:LA-cp rats with MEDICA 16 (an ATP-citrate lyase inhibitor) resulted in a decrease in hepatic ACC and AMPK activities, but had no effect on skeletal muscle ACC and AMPK. Our data suggest that alterations in ACC or AMPK activity in muscle do not contribute to the development of insulin resistance. However, increased liver ACC activity in the JCR:LA-cp rat appears to contribute to the development of lipid abnormalities, although this increase does not appear to occur secondary to a decrease in AMPK activity.

Effect of fasting and refeeding on acetyl-CoA carboxylase in rat hindlimb muscle.

Previous studies have demonstrated marked differences in liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) activity between fasted rats and fasted rats refed with a fat-free diet. This study was designed to determine whether skeletal muscle ACC responds to dietary manipulation similarly to liver. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fasted 48 h (F), fasted 48 h and refed fat-free diet for 48 h (R), or were fed normal rat chow ad libitum (A). Liver ACC, measured on resuspended ammonium sulfate precipitates of 48,000 g supernatants of tissue homogenates, was markedly decreased in F (77 +/- 6 nmol.g-1.min-1) and increased in R (562 +/- 37 nmol.g-1.min-1) rats compared with A rats (210 +/- 23 nmol.g-1.min-1). The citrate concentration required to cause half-maximal activation of liver ACC (K0.5) was 1.34 +/- 0.14 mM for F, 0.77 +/- 0.09 mM for R, and 0.87 +/- 0.09 mM for A. The quadriceps muscle, on the other hand, showed no difference in ACC activity or in the K0.5 for citrate activation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blots confirmed the biochemical measurements, showing marked differences in the size of the protein bands in the +260,000 mol wt range in F vs. R liver ACC preparations but not in skeletal muscle ACC preparations. We conclude that skeletal muscle ACC is controlled by different mechanisms than those observed in liver.

Evidence of a biotin dependent acetyl-coenzyme a carboxylase in rat muscle

Rat hindlimb muscle tissue was extracted from male Sprague-Dawley rats exsanguinated under light ether anesthesia. Muscle homogenates (50, 000 × g supernatant) were incubated with ATP, bicarbonate, acetyl-CoA, and citrate. The quantity of malonyl-CoA synthesized was determined by malonyl-CoA incorporation into long acyl chains using tritiated acetyl-CoA and fatty acid synthetase. Malonyl-CoA synthesis was found to be dependent on the presence of ATP, bicarbonate, citrate, and acetyl-CoA in the incubation medium. Incubation with avidin showed near complete inhibition of carboxylation that was restored with the addition of biotin. These results represent strong evidence of a biotin containing acetyl-CoA carboxylase in skeletal muscle.