Heat stress (HS) stimulates heat shock protein (HSP) 72 mRNA expression, and the period after an increase in HSP72 protein is characterized by enhanced glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle. We have hypothesized that, prior to an increase in the level of HSP72 protein, HS activates glucose metabolism by acutely stimulating 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Rat epitrochlearis muscle was isolated and incubated either with or without HS (42°C) for 10 and 30 min. HS for 30 min led to an increase in the level of Hspa1a and Hspa1b mRNA but did not change the amount of HSP72 protein. However, HS for both 10 and 30 min led to a significant increase in the rate of 3-O-methyl-d-glucose (3MG) transport, and the stimulatory effect of 3MG transport was completely blocked by cytochalasin B. HS-stimulated 3MG transport was also inhibited by dorsomorphin but not by wortmannin. HS led to a decrease in the concentration of ATP, phosphocreatine, and glycogen, to an increase in the level of phosphorylation of AMPKα Thr172, and to an increase in the activity of both AMPKα1 and AMPKα2. HS did not affect the phosphorylation status of insulin receptor signaling or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. These results suggest that HS acts as a rapid stimulator of insulin-independent glucose transport, at least in part by stimulating AMPK via decreased energy status. Although further research is warranted, heat treatment of skeletal muscle might be a promising method to promote glucose metabolism acutely.

Salicylate (SAL) has been recently implicated in the antidiabetic effect in humans. We assessed whether 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in skeletal muscle is involved in the effect of SAL on glucose homeostasis. Rat fast-twitch epitrochlearis and slow-twitch soleus muscles were incubated in buffer containing SAL. Intracellular concentrations of SAL increased rapidly (<5 min) in both skeletal muscles, and the Thr(172) phosphorylation of the α subunit of AMPK increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner. SAL increased both AMPKα1 and AMPKα2 activities. These increases in enzyme activity were accompanied by an increase in the activity of 3-O-methyl-D-glucose transport, and decreases in ATP, phosphocreatine, and glycogen contents. SAL did not change the phosphorylation of insulin receptor signaling including insulin receptor substrate 1, Akt, and p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase. These results suggest that SAL may be transported into skeletal muscle and may stimulate AMPK and glucose transport via energy deprivation in multiple muscle types. Skeletal muscle AMPK might be part of the mechanism responsible for the metabolic improvement induced by SAL.

Heat stress (HS) is a potent stimulus for activating glucose metabolism in skeletal muscles. However, the effect of short-term HS on protein turnover in skeletal muscles is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of short-term HS on protein synthesis and protein degradation in skeletal muscles. The epitrochlearis muscle was isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150-160 grams (g) and incubated with or without HS at 42°C for 10 or 30 min in alpha minimum essential medium. HS for 30 min significantly decreased phosphorylation of 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase at Thr 389 and 4E-binding protein 1 at Thr 37/46 . Correspondingly, HS for 30 min decreased the rate of protein synthesis. In contrast, HS had no effect on the expression of autophagy-related proteins, including microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 and p62, or on the mRNA expression of muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases, including muscle RING-finger 1 (MuRF1) and atrogin-1/MAFbx. These findings suggested that short-term HS for approximately 30 min is a physiologically relevant stimulus that suppresses protein synthesis signaling in skeletal muscles.