The rat fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase gene. Structure and regulation of expression

Plasma Proteomic Risk Markers of Incident Type 2 Diabetes Reflect Physiologically Distinct Components of Glucose-Insulin Homeostasis

High-throughput proteomics allows researchers to simultaneously explore the roles of thousands of biomarkers in the pathophysiology of diabetes. We conducted proteomic association studies of incident type 2 diabetes and physiologic responses to an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) to identify novel protein contributors to glucose homeostasis and diabetes risk. We tested 4,776 SomaScan proteins measured in relation to 18-year incident diabetes risk in participants from the Cardiovascular Health Study (N = 2,631) and IVGTT-derived measures in participants from the HERITAGE Family Study (N = 752). We characterize 51 proteins that were associated with longitudinal diabetes risk, using their respective 39, 9, and 8 concurrent associations with insulin sensitivity index (SI), acute insulin response to glucose (AIRG), and glucose effectiveness (SG). Twelve of the 51 diabetes associations appear to be novel, including β-glucuronidase, which was associated with increased diabetes risk and lower SG, suggesting an alternative pathway to insulin for glucose disposal; and plexin-B2, which also was associated with increased diabetes risk, but with lower AIRG, and not with SI, indicating a mechanism related instead to pancreatic dysfunction. Other novel protein associations included alcohol dehydrogenase-1C, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase-B, sorbitol dehydrogenase with elevated type 2 diabetes risk, and a leucine-rich repeat containing protein-15 and myocilin with decreased risk.

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

Plasma proteins are associated with the risk of incident diabetes in older adults independent of various demographic, lifestyle, and biochemical risk factors. These same proteins are associated with subtle differences in measures of glucose homeostasis earlier in life. Proteins that are associated with lower insulin sensitivity in individuals without diabetes tend to be associated with appropriate compensatory mechanisms, such as a stronger acute insulin response or higher glucose effectiveness. Proteins that are associated with future diabetes risk, but not with insulin insensitivity, tend to be associated with lower glucose effectiveness and/or impaired acute insulin response.

Ethanol-Induced Hepatic Insulin Resistance is Ameliorated by Methyl Ferulic Acid Through the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway

One of the key events during the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is that alcohol inhibits the insulin signaling pathway in liver and leads to disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism. Methyl ferulic acid (MFA) is a biologically active monomer isolated from the root of Securidaca inappendiculata Hasskarl. It has been reported that MFA has a hepatoprotective effect against alcohol-induced liver injury in vivo and in vitro. However, the effect of MFA on ethanol-induced insulin resistance in ALD remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether MFA could exert protective effects against hepatic insulin resistance in ethanol-induced L-02 cells and ALD rats. ALD was induced in vivo by feeding Lieber-DeCarli diet containing 5% (w/v) alcohol for 16 weeks to Sprague-Dawley rats. Insulin resistance was induced in vitro in human hepatocyte L-02 cells with 200 mM ethanol for 24 h followed by 10-7 nM insulin for 30 min. MFA exhibited the effects of inhibited insulin resistance, reduced enzymatic capacity for hepatic gluconeogenesis, and increased hepatic glycogen synthesis both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, the results of transcriptome sequencing of liver tissues in the ethanol- and MFA-treated groups indicated that "pyruvate metabolism," "glycolysis/gluconeogenesis," and "fatty acid metabolism" were significantly different between ethanol- and MFA-treated groups. Further studies suggested that MFA activated the hepatic phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway in vivo and in vitro. Taken together, these findings suggested that MFA effectively ameliorated hepatic insulin resistance in ALD at least partially by acting on the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Dynamic Metabolic Zonation of the Hepatic Glucose Metabolism Is Accomplished by Sinusoidal Plasma Gradients of Nutrients and Hormones

Being the central metabolic organ of vertebrates, the liver possesses the largest repertoire of metabolic enzymes among all tissues and organs. Almost all metabolic pathways are resident in the parenchymal cell, hepatocyte, but the pathway capacities may largely differ depending on the localization of hepatocytes within the liver acinus-a phenomenon that is commonly referred to as metabolic zonation. Metabolic zonation is rather dynamic since gene expression patterns of metabolic enzymes may change in response to nutrition, drugs, hormones and pathological states of the liver (e.g., fibrosis and inflammation). This fact has to be ultimately taken into account in mathematical models aiming at the prediction of metabolic liver functions in different physiological and pathological settings. Here we present a spatially resolved kinetic tissue model of hepatic glucose metabolism which includes zone-specific temporal changes of enzyme abundances which are driven by concentration gradients of nutrients, hormones and oxygen along the hepatic sinusoids. As key modulators of enzyme expression we included oxygen, glucose and the hormones insulin and glucagon which also control enzyme activities by cAMP-dependent reversible phosphorylation. Starting with an initially non-zonated model using plasma profiles under fed, fasted and diabetic conditions, zonal patterns of glycolytic and gluconeogenetic enzymes as well as glucose uptake and release rates are created as an emergent property. We show that mechanisms controlling the adaptation of enzyme abundances to varying external conditions necessarily lead to the zonation of hepatic carbohydrate metabolism. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first kinetic tissue model which takes into account in a semi-mechanistic way all relevant levels of enzyme regulation.

The nuclear bile acid receptor FXR is a PKA- and FOXA2-sensitive activator of fasting hepatic gluconeogenesis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Embedded into a complex signaling network that coordinates glucose uptake, usage and production, the nuclear bile acid receptor FXR is expressed in several glucose-processing organs including the liver. Hepatic gluconeogenesis is controlled through allosteric regulation of gluconeogenic enzymes and by glucagon/cAMP-dependent transcriptional regulatory pathways. We aimed to elucidate the role of FXR in the regulation of fasting hepatic gluconeogenesis.

METHODS

The role of FXR in hepatic gluconeogenesis was assessed in vivo and in mouse primary hepatocytes. Gene expression patterns in response to glucagon and FXR agonists were characterized by quantitative reverse transcription PCR and microarray analysis. FXR phosphorylation by protein kinase A was determined by mass spectrometry. The interaction of FOXA2 with FXR was identified by cistromic approaches and in vitro protein-protein interaction assays. The functional impact of the crosstalk between FXR, the PKA and FOXA2 signaling pathways was assessed by site-directed mutagenesis, transactivation assays and restoration of FXR expression in FXR-deficient hepatocytes in which gene expression and glucose production were assessed.

RESULTS

FXR positively regulates hepatic glucose production through two regulatory arms, the first one involving protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation of FXR, which allowed for the synergistic activation of gluconeogenic genes by glucagon, agonist-activated FXR and CREB. The second arm involves the inhibition of FXR's ability to induce the anti-gluconeogenic nuclear receptor SHP by the glucagon-activated FOXA2 transcription factor, which physically interacts with FXR. Additionally, knockdown of Foxa2 did not alter glucagon-induced and FXR agonist enhanced expression of gluconeogenic genes, suggesting that the PKA and FOXA2 pathways regulate distinct subsets of FXR responsive genes.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, hepatic glucose production is regulated during physiological fasting by FXR, which integrates the glucagon/cAMP signal and the FOXA2 signal, by being post-translationally modified, and by engaging in protein-protein interactions, respectively.

LAY SUMMARY

Activation of the nuclear bile acid receptor FXR regulates gene expression networks, controlling lipid, cholesterol and glucose metabolism, which are mostly effective after eating. Whether FXR exerts critical functions during fasting is unknown. The results of this study show that FXR transcriptional activity is regulated by the glucagon/protein kinase A and the FOXA2 signaling pathways, which act on FXR through phosphorylation and protein-protein interactions, respectively, to increase hepatic glucose synthesis.

Molecular signaling mechanisms of renal gluconeogenesis in nondiabetic and diabetic conditions

The kidneys are as involved as the liver in gluconeogenesis which can significantly contribute to hyperglycemia in the diabetic condition. Substantial evidence has demonstrated the overexpression of rate-limiting gluconeogenic enzymes, especially phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose 6 phosphatase, and the accelerated glucose release both in the isolated proximal tubular cells and in the kidneys of diabetic animal models and diabetic patients. The aim of this review is to provide an insight into the mechanisms that accelerate renal gluconeogenesis in the diabetic conditions and the therapeutic approaches that could affect this process in the kidney. Increase in gluconeogenic substrates, reduced insulin concentration or insulin resistance, downregulation of insulin receptors and insulin signaling, oxidative stress, and inappropriate activation of the renin-angiotensin system are likely to participate in enhancing renal gluconeogenesis in the diabetic milieu. Several studies have suggested that controlling glucose metabolism at the renal level favors effective overall glycemic control in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, renal gluconeogenesis may be a promising target for effective glycemic control as a therapeutic strategy in diabetes.

Effects of dietary glucose and dextrin on activity and gene expression of glucokinase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase in liver of turbot Scophthalmus maximus

Glucokinase (GK) and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) play crucial role in glucose metabolism. In the present study, the cDNA encoding GK and FBPase was cloned from the liver of turbot Scophthalmus maximus by rapid amplification of cDNA end technique. Effects of dietary glucose and dextrin on the activities and gene expressions of these two enzymes were also studied. Results showed that the full length of GK cDNA was 2226 bp, consisting of an open reading frame (ORF) of 1434 bp. The full-length cDNA coding FBPase was 1314 bp with a 1014 bp ORF encoding 337 amino acids. Analyses of gene expression of GK and FBPase were conducted in gill, liver, the whole intestine, the whole kidney, heart, the dorsal white muscle and brain. The highest expression of GK was found in liver, followed by muscle. The expression of FBPase was found higher in liver than heart and gill. Both hepatic GK activity and mRNA expression were highly induced in turbot after being fed with dietary carbohydrates (p < 0.05). However, the GK activity and mRNA expression in the group with dietary glucose did not significantly differ from those in the group with dietary dextrin (p > 0.05). Compared with the control group, there were no significant differences in FBPase activity and mRNA expression in the glucose as well as dextrin group (p > 0.05). The increased hepatic GK activity and gene expression indicated that the first step of glycolysis was activated in turbot by dietary carbohydrates.

Fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase inhibitors for reducing excessive endogenous glucose production in type 2 diabetes

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), a rate-controlling enzyme of gluconeogenesis, has emerged as an important target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes due to the well-recognized role of excessive endogenous glucose production (EGP) in the hyperglycemia characteristic of the disease. Inhibitors of FBPase are expected to fulfill an unmet medical need because the majority of current antidiabetic medications act primarily on insulin resistance or insulin insufficiency and do not reduce gluconeogenesis effectively or in a direct manner. Despite significant challenges, potent and selective inhibitors of FBPase targeting the allosteric site of the enzyme were identified by means of a structure-guided design strategy that used the natural inhibitor, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), as the starting point. Oral delivery of these anionic FBPase inhibitors was enabled by a novel diamide prodrug class. Treatment of diabetic rodents with CS-917, the best characterized of these prodrugs, resulted in a reduced rate of gluconeogenesis and EGP. Of note, inhibition of gluconeogenesis by CS-917 led to the amelioration of both fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia without weight gain, incidence of hypoglycemia, or major perturbation of lactate or lipid homeostasis. Furthermore, the combination of CS-917 with representatives of the insulin sensitizer or insulin secretagogue drug classes provided enhanced glycemic control. Subsequent clinical evaluations of CS-917 revealed a favorable safety profile as well as clinically meaningful reductions in fasting glucose levels in patients with T2DM. Future trials of MB07803, a second generation FBPase inhibitor with improved pharmacokinetics, will address whether this novel class of antidiabetic agents can provide safe and long-term glycemic control.

Glucose homeostasis is impaired by a paradoxical interaction between metformin and insulin in carnivorous rainbow trout

Utilizing rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as a known model of a "glucose-intolerant" and poor dietary glucose user, we assessed glucose utilization in fish chronically receiving two molecules able to improve glucose homeostasis: insulin and metformin. Our objectives were to assess the ability of rainbow trout to deal with a glucose load and to improve glucose utilization in fish receiving a chronic administration of insulin plus metformin treatments. Fish received (implanted miniosmotic pumps) saline, insulin, metformin, and insulin plus metformin solution for 4 days and then were subjected to a glucose challenge (intraperitoneal injection) to study glucose homeostasis, analyzing plasma glycemia, mRNA levels of glucose metabolism-related proteins, insulin signaling, and glycogen levels in liver and muscle. Control fish received a saline pump implantation and saline intraperitoneal injection. We found no evidence that the "glucose intolerance" in this species could be linked to any of the molecular markers of metabolism in the tissues analyzed. By contrast, very interestingly, we show for the first time, that metformin is not only unable to improve glucose homeostasis in trout, but, in fact, its counteracts the effects of insulin, creating an "insulin resistance," especially in the muscle. These results make trout an attractive original model to study both insulin and metformin effect on biological systems.

Metformin improves postprandial glucose homeostasis in rainbow trout fed dietary carbohydrates: a link with the induction of hepatic lipogenic capacities?

Carnivorous fish are poor users of dietary carbohydrates and are considered to be glucose intolerant. In this context, we have tested, for the first time in rainbow trout, metformin, a common anti-diabetic drug, known to modify muscle and liver metabolism and to control hyperglycemia in mammals. In the present study, juvenile trout were fed with very high levels of carbohydrates (30% of the diet) for this species during 10 days followed by feeding with pellets supplemented with metformin (0.25% of the diet) for three additional days. Dietary metformin led to a significant reduction in postprandial glycemia in trout, demonstrating unambiguously the hypoglycemic effect of this drug. No effect of metformin was detected on mRNA levels for glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4), or enzymes involved in glycolysis, mitochondrial energy metabolism, or on glycogen level in the white muscle. Expected inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenic (glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase) mRNA levels was not found, showing instead paradoxically higher mRNA levels for these genes after drug treatment. Finally, metformin treatment was associated with higher mRNA levels and activities for lipogenic enzymes (fatty acid synthase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase). Overall, this study strongly supports that the induction of hepatic lipogenesis by dietary glucose may permit a more efficient control of postprandial glycemia in carnivorous fish fed with high carbohydrate diets.

Intrinsic gluconeogenesis is enhanced in renal proximal tubules of Zucker diabetic fatty rats

Recent studies indicate that renal gluconeogenesis is substantially stimulated in patients with type 2 diabetes, but the mechanism that is responsible for such stimulation remains unknown. Therefore, this study tested the hypothesis that renal gluconeogenesis is intrinsically elevated in the Zucker diabetic fatty rat, which is considered to be an excellent model of type 2 diabetes. For this, isolated renal proximal tubules from diabetic rats and from their lean nondiabetic littermates were incubated in the presence of physiologic gluconeogenic precursors. Although there was no increase in substrate removal and despite a reduced cellular ATP level, a marked stimulation of gluconeogenesis was observed in diabetic relative to nondiabetic rats, with near-physiologic concentrations of lactate (38%), glutamine (51%) and glycerol (66%). This stimulation was caused by a change in the fate of the substrate carbon skeletons resulting from an increase in the activities and mRNA levels of the key gluconeogenic enzymes that are common to lactate, glutamine, and glycerol metabolism, i.e., mainly of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and, to a lesser extent, of glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. Experimental evidence suggests that glucocorticoids and cAMP were two factors that were responsible for the long-term stimulation of renal gluconeogenesis observed in the diabetic rats. These data provide the first demonstration in an animal model that renal gluconeogenesis is upregulated by a long-term mechanism during type 2 diabetes. Together with the increased renal mass (38%) observed, they lend support to the view so far based only on in vivo studies performed in humans that renal gluconeogenesis may be stimulated by and crucially contribute to the hyperglycemia of type 2 diabetes.

An mRNA amplification procedure with directional cDNA cloning and strand-specific cRNA synthesis for comprehensive gene expression analysis

We developed an integrated system suitable for comprehensive gene expression studies including construction and analysis of cDNA microarrays starting from a small amount of mRNA. We amplified total mRNA first as cDNA mixtures by polymerase chain reaction and then as strand-specific cRNA mixtures by in vitro transcription. These amplified cDNA and cRNA enabled determination of mRNA levels by hybridization analyses such as Southern, Northern, reverse-Northern macroarray, and cDNA microarray analyses, as well as construction of the cDNA library with a unidirectional cDNA insert. By using strand-specific cRNA derived from rat primary-cultured hepatocytes, we detected putative antisense transcripts for the metallothionein gene. cDNA microarray analysis for genes regulated by glucocorticoids and glucagon in the hepatocytes revealed that a number of genes involved in signal transduction and transcriptional regulation were up- or down-regulated. The present system is widely applicable to gene expression analysis with limited amounts of RNA samples.

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase genes in animals

A comparison of the amino acid sequences of the liver and muscle fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FbPase) isoforms in primates and rodents suggested an ancient duplication event leading to the corresponding genes. We investigated the presence of both genes in the rabbit (order lagomorphs) and in species belonging to further distantly related metazoan taxa. By an analysis of the available complete genomes and proteomes of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and of Drosophila melanogaster only one sequence homologous to known FbPases was found in each species. The corresponding mRNAs were characterized by cDNA sequencing. We then carried out reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions to amplify central fragments of the FbPase cDNAs from liver and muscle of Gallus gallus, Xenopus laevis, and Esox lucius, respectively. Their sequencing revealed that (i) the livers of chicken, frog, and fish contain mRNAs which are closely related to mammalian liver FbPase mRNAs, (ii) chicken muscle contains an mRNA which is most homologous to mammalian muscle FbPase mRNAs, (iii) frog muscle contains both a liver-type and a muscle-type FbPase mRNA, while (iv) in fish muscle no FbPase mRNA could be detected by our approach despite the doubtless presence of the enzyme in this organ. An alignment of the partial amino acid sequences of the different FbPases showed that the residues that are thought to be in contact with the substrate, fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, and Mg(2+) are totally conserved, while some amino acids having contact with adenosine monophosphate were found to vary among several species. The question of what might be the advantage of having more than one gene coding for FbPase per haploid genome is discussed.

The roles of ATF3 in glucose homeostasis. A transgenic mouse model with liver dysfunction and defects in endocrine pancreas

Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) is a member of the ATF/cAMP-response element-binding protein family of transcription factors. It is a transcriptional repressor, and the expression of its corresponding gene is induced by stress signals in a variety of tissues, including the liver. In this report, we demonstrate that ATF3 is induced in the pancreas by partial pancreatectomy, streptozotocin treatment, and ischemia coupled with reperfusion. Furthermore, ATF3 is induced in cultured islet cells by oxidative stress. Interestingly, transgenic mice expressing ATF3 in the liver and pancreas under the control of the transthyretin promoter have defects in glucose homeostasis and perinatal lethality. We present evidence that expression of ATF3 in the liver represses the expression of genes encoding gluconeogenic enzymes. Furthermore, expression of ATF3 in the pancreas leads to abnormal endocrine pancreas and reduced numbers of hormone-producing cells. Analyses of embryos indicated that the ATF3 transgene is expressed in the ductal epithelium in the developing pancreas, and the transgenic pancreas has fewer mitotic cells than the non-transgenic counterpart, providing a potential explanation for the reduction of endocrine cells. Because ATF3 is a stress-inducible gene, these mice may represent a model to investigate the molecular mechanisms for some stress-associated diseases.

Characterization of the mouse liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase gene

A cDNA encoding fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) was isolated from mouse liver RNA. The cDNA encodes a polypeptide of 338 amino acids (36.9 kDa). The liver and muscle FBPase isoenzymes of the mouse show positional identities of 69% at the cDNA level and 72% at the protein primary structure level. Starting from genomic YAC libraries and based upon the cDNA sequence all functional parts of the mouse liver FBPase gene (including exon-intron boundaries) were PCR-amplified and sequenced. The 5'-flanking regions of the liver and muscle FBPase genes were compared and showed no sequence similarity. Both genes are co-localized at chromosome 13B3-C1. The transcriptional start site was assigned to a guanine 118 bases before the start codon in the liver FBPase gene. An analysis of the steady state mRNA levels of liver and muscle FBPase in various mouse tissues was performed by Northern blotting and RT/PCR.

The xenobiotic methionine sulfoximine modulates carbohydrate anabolism and related genes expression in rodent brain

Methionine sulfoximine is a xenobiotic amino acid derived from methionine. One of its major properties is to display a glycogenic activity in the brain. After studying this property, we investigate here a possible action of this xenobiotic on the expression of genes related to carbohydrate anabolism in the brain. Glycogen was studied by the means of electron microscopy. Astrocytes were cultured and the influence of methionine sulfoximine on carbohydrate anabolism in these cells was investigated. In vivo, methionine sulfoximine induced a large increase in glycogen accumulation. It also enhanced the glycogen accumulation in cultured astrocytes principally, when the medium was enriched in glucose. The gluconeogenic enzyme fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase may account for glycogen accumulation. Plasmids were built using antisens cDNA to permanently block the expression of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. An eukaryotic vector was used and the expression of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase gene was under the control of the promoter of the glial fibrillary acidic protein. In this case, the glycogen content in cultured astrocytes largely decreased. This work shows that methionine sulfoximine enhances energy carbohydrate synthesis in the brain. Since this xenobiotic also enhances the expression of some genes related to one of the key step of glucose synthesis, it is possible that genes may be one target of methionine sulfoximine. Next investigations will study the actual effect of methionine sulfoximine in the cells.

Regulation of liver and kidney glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression in hemorrhage and resuscitation

The authors have recently demonstrated that increased gene expression of glucose-6-phosphatase (Glu-6-Pase) in hemorrhagic hypotension (HH) and following lactated Ringer's resuscitation (LR) is associated with a decrease in insulin and an increase in corticosterone concentrations.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the in-vivo role of hormones the authors used insulin (IN), phentolamine and propranolol (PP) as an adrenergic blocker, and cyclic somatostatin (CS) as a glucagon blocker to prevent the induction of Glu-6-Pase gene expression in liver and kidney following HH and LR.

METHODS

Hemorrhage was induced in fasted anesthetized rats, and the reduction of blood pressure to 40 mm Hg for a duration of 30 minutes was accomplished by withdrawal or infusion of shed blood. The resuscitated group underwent hemorrhage followed by fluid resuscitation with lactated Ringer's solution.

RESULTS

Neither PP nor CS treatment could block the induction of Glu-6-Pase messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) following either HH or LR. However, the administration of IN significantly prevented the increase of Glu-6-Pase mRNA level and activity in both liver and kidney following HH and LR. This was associated with a normalization of plasma glucose, corticosterone, and glucagon levels and glucose-6-phosphate concentrations in liver and kidney toward prehemorrhage levels.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that in-vivo treatment with insulin during hemorrhagic hypotension and resuscitation is capable of preventing the increase in Glu-6-Pase gene expression in liver and kidney responsible for the observed hyperglycemia.

Structure and chromosomal localization of the human and mouse muscle fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase genes

Mammalian skeletal muscle contains fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (Fru-1,6-P(2)ase), a key enzyme of glyconeogenesis. We have shown previously that muscle Fru-1,6-P(2)ase is encoded by a gene different from that coding for the liver isoenzyme. Starting with genomic YAC libraries and based on the cDNA sequences of human and mouse muscle Fru-1,6-P(2)ases together with the known gene structures of two mammalian liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatases, we have PCR-amplified and sequenced all functional parts of the human and mouse muscle fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase genes and determined their chromosomal localization. The human gene (FBP2), localized at chromosome 1p36.1-2, spans about 30 kb, while the mouse gene (Fbp2) at chromosome 13B3-C1 is more compact (about 21 kb). Intron lengths are only poorly conserved between the two genes, while intron number and positions are identical in all hitherto analyzed mammalian fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase isoenzyme genes. Transcriptional start sites were found to be located 97 and 95bp before the start codon in the human gene and 35 bp before the start codon in the mouse homolog. A comparison of the 5'-flanking sequences of the two genes revealed a 56% homology up to human bp -607 before the first transcriptional start point, while upstream of this region we found no similarity. The data presented in this paper provide a basis for further studies of the mechanism of expression regulation and the elucidation of the physiological role of the enzyme.

Rat muscle fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase: cloning of the cDNA, expression of the recombinant enzyme, and expression analysis in different tissues

The 1282 bp cDNA of an isoenzyme of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase was cloned from rat muscle. It shows 70% positional identity to the cDNA of rat liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and is clearly the product of a gene different from that coding for the liver enzyme. After cloning of the coding region of the rat muscle fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase cDNA in an expression vector, the recombinant enzyme could be detected in E. coli cell-free extracts by activity determination and Western blotting. Overexpressed fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase was found to be allosterically inhibited by AMP comparably to the enzyme isolated from rat muscle. Analysis of steady-state mRNA levels of various rat tissues with reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Northern blotting revealed one or the two fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase isoenzyme mRNAs in most tissues tested with significant quantitative differences. Quantitative PCR using a homologous competitor showed that 1 microg of total RNA of rat muscle contains 1.7 x 10(6) molecules of rat muscle fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase mRNA. 3 x 10(4) copies of this message were found per microg total RNA of heart and kidney, respectively.

Regulation of messenger ribonucleic acid expression for gluconeogenic enzymes during glucagon infusions into lactating cows

The effects of glucagon infusions on expression of mRNA for enzymes that regulate gluconeogenesis were studied in lactating cows. Normal cows and cows with fatty liver that were susceptible to ketosis were assigned to either glucagon-treated or control groups. Glucagon at 0 or 10 mg/d was infused for 14 d beginning at d 21 postpartum. In normal cows, glucagon infusions increased concentrations of both plasma glucagon and glucose, which caused plasma insulin to increase. Consequently, hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA decreased during wk 1 of glucagon infusions. Glucagon infusions into cows with fatty liver also increased plasma glucagon and glucose, but concentrations of plasma insulin and hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA did not change. More phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA was present in the livers of cows with fatty liver than in livers of normal cows. In a follow-up experiment with midlactation cows, 3.5-h infusions of glucagon at 14 mg/d increased plasma glucose and insulin and decreased plasma nonesterified fatty acids and hepatic glycogen. Hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA was decreased 41%, pyruvate carboxylase mRNA was increased 50%, but fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase mRNA did not change. We conclude that the expression of the hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene in normal cows is inhibited by insulin to balance elevated carbohydrate status during glucagon infusions; however, inhibited expression of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA probably is not involved in the pathogenesis of lactation ketosis.

Isolation and characterization of an allelic cDNA for human muscle fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase

By applying a newly developed method, cDNAs for the human muscle isoform of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase were isolated from phage- and plasmid-derived libraries. From these cDNAs and an EST clone, a composite sequence (1302 bp) was deduced that contains an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 339 amino acids with an estimated molecular weight of 36 755. After overexpression in E. coli, recombinant human muscle fructose 2,6-bisphosphatase was found to be active in cel-free extracts and could be strongly inhibited by AMP and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. Sequence comparisons revealed that (1) all amino acids thought to be in contact with substrate molecules, regulatory molecules or metal ions in mammalian liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatases are, with one exception, conserved in the human muscle enzyme and (2) the human muscle isoform is more homologous to the mouse intestine fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase than to the mammalian liver isoform. This is the first report of the cloning and expression of a muscle fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase isoenzyme.

Cell volume regulates liver phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase genes

Hypertonic-induced cell shrinkage increases glucose release in H-4-II-E rat hepatoma cells. This is paralleled by a concomitant increase in the mRNA levels of the rate-limiting enzymes of the pathway of gluconeogenesis, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK) and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP), of seven- and fivefold, respectively. In contrast, hypotonic-induced swelling of the cells results in a transient decrease in PCK and FBP mRNAs to 15% and 39% of control levels. The antagonistic effects of hyper- and hypotonicity mimic the counteracting effects of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and insulin on PCK and FBP mRNA levels. The hypertonic-induced increase in mRNA levels is due to an enhanced transcriptional rate, whereas the decrease in mRNAs caused by hypotonicity results from a decrease in transcription as well as mRNA stability. The inductive effect of hypertonicity does not require ongoing protein synthesis and acts independently of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C pathways. These results suggest that cell volume changes in liver cells may play an important role in regulating hepatic glucose metabolism by altered gene expression.

Insulin stimulates cAMP-response element binding protein activity in HepG2 and 3T3-L1 cell lines

Earlier studies from our laboratory demonstrated an insulin-mediated increase in cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. In this report, we show that insulin stimulates both CREB phosphorylation and transcriptional activation in HepG2 and 3T3-L1 cell lines, models of insulin-sensitive tissues. Insulin stimulated the phosphorylation of CREB at serine 133, the protein kinase A site, and mutation of serine 133 to alanine blocked the insulin effect. Many of the signaling pathways known to be activated by insulin have been implicated in CREB phosphorylation and activation. The ability of insulin to induce CREB phosphorylation and activity was efficiently blocked by PD98059, a potent inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK1), but not significantly by rapamycin or wortmannin. Likewise, expression of dominant negative forms of Ras or Raf-1 completely blocked insulin-stimulated CREB transcriptional activity. Finally, we demonstrate an essential role for CREB in insulin activation of fatty-acid synthase and fatty acid binding protein (FABP) indicating the potential physiologic relevance of insulin regulation of CREB. In summary, insulin regulates CREB transcriptional activity in insulin-sensitive tissues via the Raf --> MEK pathway and has an impact on physiologically relevant genes in these cells.

Stimulation of glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression by glucose and fructose-2,6-bisphosphate

Glucose-6-phosphatase, a key enzyme in the homeostatic regulation of blood glucose concentration, catalyzes the terminal step in gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis. Glucose, the product of the glucose-6-phosphatase reaction, dramatically increases the level of glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA transcripts in primary hepatocytes (20-fold), and the maximum response is obtained at a glucose concentration as low as 11 mM. Glucose specifically increases glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA and L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA. In the rat hepatoma-derived cell line, Fao, glucose increases the glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA only modestly (3-fold). In the presence of high glucose concentrations, overexpression of glucokinase in Fao cells via recombinant adenovirus vectors increases lactate production to the level found in primary hepatocytes and increases glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression by 21-fold. Similar overexpression of hexokinase I in Fao cells with high levels of glucose does not increase lactate production nor does it change the response of glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA to glucose. Glucokinase overexpression in Fao cells blunts the previously reported inhibitory effect of insulin on glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression in these cells. Raising the cellular concentration of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, a potent effector of the direction of carbon flux through the gluconeogenic and glycolytic pathways, also stimulated glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression in Fao cells. Increasing the fructose-2,6-bisphosphate concentration over a 15-fold range (12 +/- 1 to 187 +/- 17 pmol/plate) via an adenoviral vector overexpression system, led to a 6-fold increase (0.32 +/- 0. 03 to 2.2 +/- 0.33 arbitrary units of mRNA) in glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression with a concomitant increase in glycolysis and a decrease in gluconeogenesis. Also, the effects of fructose-2, 6-bisphosphate concentrations on fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase gene expression were stimulatory, leading to a 5-6-fold increase in mRNA level over a 15-fold range in fructose-2,6-bisphosphate level. Liver pyruvate kinase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA were unchanged by the manipulation of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate level.

Developmental aspects of transcription of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase in newborn dogs

Our previous investigations demonstrated that unsuppressed gluconeogenesis under hyperinsulinemia in newborn dogs may be a mechanism of neonatal hyperglycemia. In the present study, the transcription of the gene for fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (fru-1,6-P2ase; E 3.1.3.11) of newborn dogs was studied under various metabolic perturbations (age, suckling, fasting, and hyperinsulinemia). Total RNAs isolated from livers and kidneys were hybridized with a rat fru-1,6-P2ase cDNA probe. We observed that (i) fru-1,6-P2ase mRNA was expressed in both kidney and liver at birth and was about 40 and 80% of those in kidney and liver of adult dog, respectively; (ii) suckling decreased the kidney fru-1,6-P2ase mRNA level to 77.8 +/- 1.7% (24 h) from 100.0 +/- 8.0% (4 h), but increased liver mRNA to 158.6 +/- 11.4% (24 h) from 100.0 +/- 2.3% (4 h); (iii) during a 24-h period of fasting, the kidney fru-1,6-P2ase mRNA level did not change in the first 10 h and then increased 18.5% at 24 h, whereas the liver fru-1,6-P2ase mRNA increased ca. 20% during the first 10 h and then up to 161.1 +/- 18.0% at 24 h compared to that at 100.0 +/- 11.4% (0 h); (iv) euglycemic hyperinsulinemia did not change the renal fru-1,6-P2ase mRNA level, but lowered the hepatic fru-1,6-P2ase mRNA level to 56.0 +/- 8.7 from 100.0 +/- 11.8% (fasted controls) in newborn dogs, which was identical to that in adult dogs. These data suggest that the fru-1,6-P2ase in liver may play a more important role in glucose homeostasis of newborn dogs than that in kidney during the first day of their lives and that the incomplete suppression of transcription of the hepatic fru-1,6-P2ase gene by insulin in newborn dogs may not contribute to neonatal hyperglycemia due to insulin resistance.

Impaired regulation of hepatic fructose-1,6-biphosphatase in the New Zealand Obese mouse: an acquired defect

Increased hepatic glucose production, a feature of (non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM]), is present at an early age in the New Zealand Obese (NZO) mouse and is associated with impaired suppression of the gluconeogenic enzyme, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase). The aim of this study was to further characterize the abnormality in the regulation of hepatic FBPase in NZO mice versus New Zealand Chocolate (NZC) control mice. At 20 weeks of age, NZO mice have elevated FBPase activity (65.3 +/- 7.9 v 46.7 +/- 5.0 micromol/min/mg protein, P =.07) and protein levels (31.7 +/- 3.1 v 22.5 +/- 2.8 arbitrary units, P < .05), but not mRNA levels (0.18 +/- 0.03 v 0.16 +/- 0.03 arbitrary units). Elevated FBPase activity and protein levels in NZO mice were also shown at 4 to 6 weeks of age, but not in 1-day-old mice, suggesting that the increase occurs between birth and weaning. The Km of the enzyme was the same in NZO and NZC mice (3.7 +/- 0.5 v 5.0 +/- 0.9 micromol/L, NZO v NZC). The regulation of FBPase by the competitive inhibitor, fructose-2,6-bisphosphate ([Fru(2,6)Pz] 5 micromol/L) measured over a range of substrate concentrations (2.5 to 80 micromol/L) was similar between NZO and control mice (Km in the presence of Fru(2,6)Pz, 10.8 +/- v 1.9 v 13.2 +/- 3.3 micromol/L, NZO v NZC). It is concluded that increased FBPase activity in the NZO mouse is due to elevated protein levels, and that this appears to be due to a failure of the normal decrease that occurs following birth in control animals.

Disordered expression of glycolytic and gluconeogenic liver enzymes of juvenile visceral steatosis mice with systemic carnitine deficiency

A quantitative study of the effect of carnitine deficiency on expression of glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzymes was performed using juvenile visceral steatosis mice which are systemically deficient in carnitine. The amounts of glucokinase and L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA were reduced in homozygotes, compared to heterozygotes and normal controls at 2 and 8 weeks. Liver-type phosphofructokinase, however, did not differ significantly. The abundance of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase mRNA was unchanged at 2 and 8 weeks. The level of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA was increased slightly at 2 weeks, but not at 8 weeks. A part of these changes could not be explained by the plasma glucose or insulin level. Carnitine administration restored the mRNA of these enzymes to normal levels. These results suggest that carnitine deficiency affects the expression of these liver enzymes.

Disordered expression of hepatic glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzymes in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rats with spontanteous long-term hyperglycemia

Expression of key regulatory enzymes involved in glucose metabolism was studied in the livers of Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF) rats, a model of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. The activity and mRNA levels of glucokinase and L-type pyruvate kinase was increased in the liver of OLETF rats compared with control rats. There was no such remarkable change in liver-type phosphofructokinase. The activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-biphosphatase also increase despite high plasma levels of glucose and insulin. The activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase did not show any significant change. The mRNA levels for fructose-1,6-biphosphatase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase exhibited no marked changes. These results suggest that the expression of glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-biphosphatase is disordered in OLETF rats.

Liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase cDNA: trans-complementation of fission yeast and characterization of two human transcripts

The SV40 early promoter is active both in mammalian cells and in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and is used to drive full-length cDNA in polyvalent pcD-libraries. Two such liver libraries, of human and rat origin, were used to trans-complement a S. pombe mutant deficient in fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (Fru-1,6-Pase) activity, a key gluconeogenic enzyme restricted to liver, kidney and intestine in mammals. A rat liver Fru-1,6-Pase cDNA was readily cloned and sequenced. Complementary PCR experiments revealed full-length Fru-1,6-Pase cDNA also present in the human liver library, however at a low abundance. Two human liver transcripts were thus characterized. Contrary to expectation, they were not differentially spliced products. They both encoded the same protein and were generated by a polyadenylation choice mechanism. The longest transcript comprised two polyadenylation signals and a consensus GT-rich element for the 3' processing of the upstream site. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends-polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR) analysis of 3' ends from hepatic, renal and intestinal mRNA disclosed that both Fru-1,6-Pase transcripts are expressed in the three main gluconeogenic cell types and are subject to insulin differential modulation. On the other hand, overcoming liver cell heterogeneity problems, sequence analysis of 16 independent clones of 3' end-cDNA demonstrated that, in addition to a monocytic type corresponding to a previously described lambda gt11 clone, human liver does not contain a hepatic type Fru-1,6-Pase comprising a liver-specific carboxyl-terminal extension like its rat counterpart. This liver-specific extension is involved in enzyme up-regulation and appears to give a conclusive advantage to the rat hepatic enzyme over the human one when trans-complementing mutant yeast.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis in long-term Troglitazone treated diabetic KK and C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice

The orally effective antidiabetic agent Troglitazone (CS-045) exerts hypoglycemic effects in various insulin-resistant obese and/or diabetic animals. Since increased hepatic gluconeogenesis is a major cause of hyperglycemia in these diabetic animals, we evaluated the effect of long-term Troglitazone treatment on hepatic gluconeogenesis. Troglitazone was administered for 7 days to normal ddY mice, diabetic KK mice, diabetic C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice, and its heterozygote, db/+ mice, as a 0.1% or 0.2% food admixture. Troglitazone significantly decreased plasma glucose in diabetic KK and db/db mice, but not in normal ddY and db/+ mice. 14C incorporation into blood glucose from NaH14CO3 was measured to assess hepatic gluconeogenesis in diabetic KK and normal ddY mice. Hepatic gluconeogenesis was significantly increased in diabetic KK mice (P < .01) as compared with normal mice, and was significantly suppressed (P < .05) after 7 days of Troglitazone treatment (approximately 200 mg/kg/d). Glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) and fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) were significantly decreased but fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) was not significantly increased in the liver of diabetic db/db mice treated with Troglitazone for 7 days (approximately 80 mg/kg/d) as compared with control db/db mice. These changes in G6P, F6P, and FBP corresponded with the activity of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (Fru-1,6P2ase) and 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase (6-PF-1K), which determined the content of F6P and FBP. Namely, Fru-1,6P2ase was significantly decreased in Troglitazone-treated db/db mice as compared with control mice, whereas 6-PF-1K activity was not affected by Troglitazone treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bistability and damped oscillations in the fructose 6-phosphate/fructose 1,6-bisphosphate cycle in cell-free extracts from rat liver

The dynamics of the fructose 6-phosphate/fructose 1,6-bisphosphate substrate cycle was investigated in cell-free extracts from rat liver. Under conditions of continuous substrate supply different types of stationary states and damped oscillations were observed experimentally and found to be in qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions. Changing the adenylate energy charge of the substrate supply, bistability was shown to be related to irreversible transitions between functionally different branches of stable stationary states.

Induction and turnover of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase in HL-60 leukemia cells by calcitriol

Fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase mRNA and enzyme activity in HL-60 cells were rapidly and markedly induced by calcitriol (formerly known as 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3). The activity reached 70-80 times the basal level after 96 h. The enzyme activity in the cells incubated for 96 h with calcitriol decreased immediately after its withdrawal but after a 24-h incubation the activity in the cells continued to increase slightly and then decreased slowly. Calcitriol increased the enzyme activity dose-dependently with maximal stimulation at 10 nM and half-maximal at 2.1 nM. The rate of synthesis of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase almost paralleled the increase in mRNA level during treatment with calcitriol. When calcitriol was removed from media after incubation for either 24 h or 96 h, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase mRNA and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase synthesis decreased rapidly to the basal level. The enzyme was only slightly degraded in the cells incubated with calcitriol for 24 h followed by the subsequent culture without calcitriol but it was degraded with a half-life estimated to be approximately 64 h in the same cells followed by culturing with calcitriol. In the cells incubated for 96 h, the same degradation rate (i.e. half-life approximately 64 h) was observed irrespective of the following culture with or without calcitriol. Calcitriol did not affect the degradation rate of total soluble proteins.

The insulin receptor: structure, function, and signaling

The insulin receptor is a member of the ligand-activated receptor and tyrosine kinase family of transmembrane signaling proteins that collectively are fundamentally important regulators of cell differentiation, growth, and metabolism. The insulin receptor has a number of unique physiological and biochemical properties that distinguish it from other members of this large well-studied receptor family. The main physiological role of the insulin receptor appears to be metabolic regulation, whereas all other receptor tyrosine kinases are engaged in regulating cell growth and/or differentiation. Receptor tyrosine kinases are allosterically regulated by their cognate ligands and function as dimers. In all cases but the insulin receptor (and 2 closely related receptors), these dimers are noncovalent, but insulin receptors are covalently maintained as functional dimers by disulfide bonds. The initial response to the ligand is receptor autophosphorylation for all receptor tyrosine kinases. In most cases, this results in receptor association of effector molecules that have unique recognition domains for phosphotyrosine residues and whose binding to these results in a biological response. For the insulin receptor, this does not occur; rather, it phosphorylates a large substrate protein that, in turn, engages effector molecules. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed in this review. The chemistry of insulin is very well characterized because of possible therapeutic interventions in diabetes using insulin derivatives. This has allowed the synthesis of many insulin derivatives, and we review our recent exploitation of one such derivative to understand the biochemistry of the interaction of this ligand with the receptor and to dissect the complicated steps of ligand-induced insulin receptor autophosphorylation. We note possible future directions in the study of the insulin receptor and its intracellular signaling pathway(s).