The obesity epidemic has led to an increased incidence of non–alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes. AMP–activated protein kinase (Ampk) regulates energy homeostasis and is activated by cellular stress, hormones and the widely prescribed anti–type 2 diabetic drug metformin1,2. Ampk phosphorylates murine acetyl–CoA carboxylase3,4 (Acc) 1 at Ser79 and Acc2 at Ser212, inhibiting the conversion of acetyl–CoA to malonyl–CoA, a precursor in fatty acid synthesis5 as well as an allosteric inhibitor of fatty acid transport into mitochondria for oxidation6. To test the physiological impact of these phosphorylation events we generated mice with alanine knock–in mutations in both Acc1 (Ser79) and Acc2 (Ser212) (Acc double knock–in, AccDKI). These mice have elevated lipogenesis and lower fatty acid oxidation compared to wild–type (WT) mice, which contribute to the progression of insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and NAFLD, but not obesity. Remarkably, AccDKI mice made obese by high–fat feeding, are refractory to the lipid–lowering and insulin–sensitizing effects of metformin. These findings establish that inhibitory phosphorylation of Acc by Ampk is essential for the control of lipid metabolism, and in the setting of obesity, for metformin–induced improvements in insulin action.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) β1 or β2 subunits are required for assembling of AMPK heterotrimers and are important for regulating enzyme activity and cellular localization. In skeletal muscle, α2β2γ3-containing heterotrimers predominate. However, compensatory up-regulation and redundancy of AMPK subunits in wholebody AMPK α2, β2, and γ3 null mice has made it difficult to determine the physiological importance of AMPK in regulating muscle metabolism, because these models have normal mitochondrial content, contraction-stimulated glucose uptake, and insulin sensitivity. In the current study, we generated mice lacking both AMPK β1 and β2 isoforms in skeletal muscle (β1β2M-KO). β1β2M-KO mice are physically inactive and have a drastically impaired capacity for treadmill running that is associated with reductions in skeletal muscle mitochondrial content but not a fiber-type switch. Interestingly, young β1β2M-KO mice fed a control chow diet are not obese or insulin resistant but do have impaired contraction-stimulated glucose uptake. These data demonstrate an obligatory role for skeletal muscle AMPK in maintaining mitochondrial capacity and contraction-stimulated glucose uptake, findings that were not apparent in mice with single mutations or deletions in muscle α, β, or γ subunits.is an evolutionarily conserved stress-sensing kinase that controls energy metabolism and appetite by responding to nutrients and hormones (1). The regulation of AMPK activity depends on AMP and ADP regulated phosphorylation of the α catalytic subunit at T172 by the upstream kinases LKB1 and Ca 2+ /CaM-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaMKKβ; refs. 2 and 3). AMPK exists as a heterotrimer, consisting of an α catalytic subunit (α1, α2), a scaffolding β subunit (β1, β2) and a nucleotide-binding γ subunit (γ1, γ2, γ3) (1). The C-terminal of the β subunit contains a highly conserved α and γ subunit-binding sequence (SBS) that is required for the formation of a stable, active AMPK αβγ complex (4). We recently reported on the physiological effects of germline deletion of β1 (5) and β2 (6) isoforms in mice. We showed that β1 null mice have reduced AMPK α-subunit expression and activity in liver, adipose tissue and the hypothalamus (5). In contrast, AMPK β2 null mice have reduced AMPK activity in skeletal muscle, are aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) insensitive and have reduced exercise tolerance despite a greater than 50% increase in muscle β1 protein expression (6). The phenotype of β2 null mice was similar to that of mice lacking α2 (7) or γ3 (8) subunits or muscle-specific overexpression of an α2 kinase dead (KD) mutation (9, 10).During exercise, AMPK is activated in an intensity-dependent manner (for review, see ref. 11). Mice with reduced AMPK in muscle are exercise intolerant, an effect shown not to be due to cardiac impairments in AMPK (12-14). However, the cause for this reduction in exercise capacity remains largely unknown, because mitochondrial content and glucose uptake are not altered (6,7,10,12,(15)(16)(17) or onl...

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Pattern recognition receptors link metabolite and bacteria-derived inflammation to insulin resistance during obesity. We demonstrate that NOD2 detection of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan (PGN) regulates metabolic inflammation and insulin sensitivity. An obesity-promoting high-fat diet (HFD) increased NOD2 in hepatocytes and adipocytes, and NOD2−/− mice have increased adipose tissue and liver inflammation and exacerbated insulin resistance during a HFD. This effect is independent of altered adiposity or NOD2 in hematopoietic-derived immune cells. Instead, increased metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance in NOD2−/− mice is associated with increased commensal bacterial translocation from the gut into adipose tissue and liver. An intact PGN-NOD2 sensing system regulated gut mucosal bacterial colonization and a metabolic tissue dysbiosis that is a potential trigger for increased metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance. Gut dysbiosis in HFD-fed NOD2−/− mice is an independent and transmissible factor that contributes to metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance when transferred to WT, germ-free mice. These findings warrant scrutiny of bacterial component detection, dysbiosis, and protective immune responses in the links between inflammatory gut and metabolic diseases, including diabetes.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) ␤ subunits (␤1 and ␤2) provide scaffolds for binding ␣ and ␥ subunits and contain a carbohydrate-binding module important for regulating enzyme activity. We generated C57Bl/6 mice with germline deletion of AMPK ␤2 (␤2 KO) and examined AMPK expression and activity, exercise capacity, metabolic control during muscle contractions, aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) sensitivity, and susceptibility to obesity-induced insulin resistance. We find that ␤2 KO mice are viable and breed normally. ␤2 KO mice had a reduction in skeletal muscle AMPK ␣1 and ␣2 expression despite up-regulation of the ␤1 isoform. Heart AMPK ␣2 expression was also reduced but this did not affect resting AMPK ␣1 or ␣2 activities. AMPK ␣1 and ␣2 activities were not changed in liver, fat, or hypothalamus. AICAR-stimulated glucose uptake but not fatty acid oxidation was impaired in ␤2 KO mice. During treadmill running ␤2 KO mice had reduced maximal and endurance exercise capacity, which was associated with lower muscle and heart AMPK activity and reduced levels of muscle and liver glycogen. Reductions in exercise capacity of ␤2 KO mice were not due to lower muscle mitochondrial content or defects in contraction-stimulated glucose uptake or fatty acid oxidation. When challenged with a high-fat diet ␤2 KO mice gained more weight and were more susceptible to the development of hyperinsulinemia and glucose intolerance. In summary these data show that deletion of AMPK ␤2 reduces AMPK activity in skeletal muscle resulting in impaired exercise capacity and the worsening of diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance.The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) 5 is an evolutionary conserved serine/threonine protein kinase that functions as a metabolic regulatory enzyme at both the intracellular and whole body level (1, 2). As a metabolic stress-sensing enzyme, AMPK is activated through phosphorylation of Thr 172 in the ␣-catalytic subunit by upstream kinases, liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase in response to physiological processes that consume ATP (exercise) or inhibit ATP production (ischemia or hypoxia) (3). Following activation, AMPK acutely regulates lipid, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism through phosphorylation induced changes that alter enzyme activities by switching off ATP consuming anabolic pathways and switching on ATP generating catabolic pathways (4). In addition to these acute effects, AMPK regulates transcription factors to influence gene expression (4). Modulation of AMPK activity by hormones and cytokines adds a complex layer of regulation allowing energy supply and demand within a cell to be integrated with the energy requirements of the whole organism (5).AMPK functions as an ␣␤␥ heterotrimer where the C terminus of the ␤ isoforms (␤1 and ␤2) contains the subunit-binding sequence that is essential for binding the ␥ and ␣ subunits (6, 7). In addition to their structural role in maintaining the AMPK heterotrimer, AMPK ␤ subunits contain an evolutionary ...

AMPK is an evolutionary conserved sensor of cellular energy status that is activated during exercise. Pharmacological activation of AMPK promotes glucose uptake, fatty acid oxidation, mitochondrial biogenesis, and insulin sensitivity; processes that are reduced in obesity and contribute to the development of insulin resistance. AMPK deficient mouse models have been used to provide direct genetic evidence either supporting or refuting a role for AMPK in regulating these processes. Exercise promotes glucose uptake by an insulin dependent mechanism involving AMPK. Exercise is important for improving insulin sensitivity; however, it is not known if AMPK is required for these improvements. Understanding how these metabolic processes are regulated is important for the development of new strategies that target obesity-induced insulin resistance. This review will discuss the involvement of AMPK in regulating skeletal muscle metabolism (glucose uptake, glycogen synthesis, and insulin sensitivity).

Obesity is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation that contributes to defects in energy metabolism and insulin resistance. Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3 expression is increased in skeletal muscle of obese humans. SOCS3 inhibits leptin signaling in the hypothalamus and insulin signal transduction in adipose tissue and the liver. Skeletal muscle is an important tissue for controlling energy expenditure and whole-body insulin sensitivity; however, the physiological importance of SOCS3 in this tissue has not been examined. Therefore, we generated mice that had SOCS3 specifically deleted in skeletal muscle (SOCS MKO). The SOCS3 MKO mice had normal muscle development, body mass, adiposity, appetite, and energy expenditure compared with wild-type (WT) littermates. Despite similar degrees of obesity when fed a high-fat diet, SOCS3 MKO mice were protected against the development of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance because of enhanced skeletal muscle insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and Akt phosphorylation that resulted in increased skeletal muscle glucose uptake. These data indicate that skeletal muscle SOCS3 does not play a critical role in regulating muscle development or energy expenditure, but it is an important contributing factor for inhibiting insulin sensitivity in obesity. Therapies aimed at inhibiting SOCS3 in skeletal muscle may be effective in reversing obesity-related glucose intolerance and insulin resistance.

These findings indicate that the phosphorylation of ACC2 S212 is required for the maintenance of skeletal muscle lipid and glucose homeostasis.