Exercise increases AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) activity in human and rat adipocytes, but the underlying molecular mechanisms and functional consequences of this activation are not known. Since adrenaline (epinephrine) concentrations increase with exercise, in the present study we hypothesized that adrenaline activates AMPK in adipocytes. We show that a single bout of exercise increases AMPKα1 and α2 activities and ACC (acetyl-CoA carboxylase) Ser79 phosphorylation in rat adipocytes. Similarly to exercise, adrenaline treatment in vivo increased AMPK activities and ACC phosphorylation. Pre-treatment of rats with the β-blocker propranolol fully blocked exercise-induced AMPK activation. Increased AMPK activity with exercise and adrenaline treatment in vivo was accompanied by an increased AMP/ATP ratio. Adrenaline incubation of isolated adipocytes also increased the AMP/ATP ratio and AMPK activities, an effect blocked by propranolol. Adrenaline incubation increased lipolysis in isolated adipocytes, and Compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, attenuated this effect. Finally, a potential role for AMPK in the decreased adiposity associated with chronic exercise was suggested by marked increases in AMPKα1 and α2 activities in adipocytes from rats trained for 6 weeks. In conclusion, both acute and chronic exercise are significant regulators of AMPK activity in rat adipocytes. Our findings suggest that adrenaline plays a critical role in exercise-stimulated AMPKα1 and α2 activities in adipocytes, and that AMPK can function in the regulation of lipolysis.
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Research Article|
April 12 2007
Adrenaline is a critical mediator of acute exercise-induced AMP-activated protein kinase activation in adipocytes
Ho-Jin Koh;
Ho-Jin Koh
*Research Division, Joslin Diabetes Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
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Michael F. Hirshman;
Michael F. Hirshman
*Research Division, Joslin Diabetes Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
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Huamei He;
Huamei He
1
†NMR Laboratory for Physiological Chemistry, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
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Yangfeng Li;
Yangfeng Li
*Research Division, Joslin Diabetes Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
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Yasuko Manabe;
Yasuko Manabe
*Research Division, Joslin Diabetes Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
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James A. Balschi;
James A. Balschi
†NMR Laboratory for Physiological Chemistry, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
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Laurie J. Goodyear
Laurie J. Goodyear
2
*Research Division, Joslin Diabetes Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
2To whom correspondence should be addressed (email Laurie.Goodyear@joslin.harvard.edu).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
September 27 2006
Revision Received:
January 22 2007
Accepted:
January 26 2007
Accepted Manuscript online:
January 26 2007
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
The Authors Journal compilation, The Biochemical Society, London
2007
Biochem J (2007) 403 (3): 473–481.
Article history
Received:
September 27 2006
Revision Received:
January 22 2007
Accepted:
January 26 2007
Accepted Manuscript online:
January 26 2007
Citation
Ho-Jin Koh, Michael F. Hirshman, Huamei He, Yangfeng Li, Yasuko Manabe, James A. Balschi, Laurie J. Goodyear; Adrenaline is a critical mediator of acute exercise-induced AMP-activated protein kinase activation in adipocytes. Biochem J 1 May 2007; 403 (3): 473–481. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BJ20061479
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