AICAR stimulates adiponectin and inhibits cytokines in adipose tissue

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR) can be used as an experimental tool to activate 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. In parallel adiponectin also seems to activate AMPK and to improve insulin sensitivity. We have investigated the effects of AICAR on the gene expression of adiponectin and on gene expression and release of cytokines in human adipose tissue in vitro. AICAR stimulated AMPK alpha1 activity 3-4-fold (p<0.001), and dose-dependently increased adiponectin mRNA levels with significant stimulation (2-4-fold) at AICAR concentrations of 0.5-2mM (p<0.05). The adipose tissue protein release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was decreased by AICAR (p<0.05). In conclusion, AICAR stimulated adipose tissue AMPK alpha1 activity and adiponectin gene expression, while attenuating the release of TNF-alpha and IL-6. Reduced concentrations of these cytokines and increased levels of adiponectin might play a role for the insulin sensitizing effects of AICAR.     

Activation of AMPK by berberine promotes adiponectin multimerization in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Adiponectin is assembled into trimer (LMW), hexamer (MMW) and high-molecular-weight (HMW) multimer in adipocytes. The HMW adiponectin is more metabolically active and closely associated with peripheral insulin sensitivity. In this study, we reported that berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid with insulin-sensitizing effect, inhibits the expression of adiponectin, but promotes the assembly of HMW adiponectin and increases the ratio of HMW to total adiponectin. Berberine activates AMPK. Knockdown of AMPKα1 abolishes the effect of berberine. Activation of AMPK by AICAR also increases the level of HMW adiponectin. Our study suggested that activation of AMPK by berberine promotes adiponectin multimerization.     

Adiponectin-mediated stimulation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in pancreatic beta cells

The adipocyte-derived hormone adiponectin was recently shown to stimulate glucose-utilization and to increase fatty acid oxidation in liver and muscle. The effects were ascribed to adiponectin-receptor mediated activation of the key metabolic regulator AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In pancreatic beta cells, AMPK-activation is known to affect cellular function. We therefore investigated a possible adiponectin-induced activation of AMPK in beta cells. RT-PCR analysis confirmed the expression of adiponectin receptor subtypes 1 and 2 in rat beta cells and showed their expression in insulin-secreting MIN6 cells. Culture with physiological concentrations (2.5 microg/ml) of globular adiponectin was found to increase the phosphorylation of both AMPK and acetylcoA carboxylase (ACC) in these cell types. Like the pharmacological AMPK activator 5-amino-imidazole-4-carboxamide-riboside (AICAR), adiponectin activated AMPK in beta cells and MIN6 cells. In short-term incubations of MIN6 cells with either adiponectin (2.5 microg/ml) or AICAR (1 mM), the flux of glucose-carbon to acyl CoA/cholesterol biosynthetic intermediates was reduced. We conclude that adiponectin induces an activation of AMPK in beta cells, which inhibits their cataplerosis of glucose-carbon to lipids.     

AMPK activation inhibits the expression of HIF-1alpha induced by insulin and IGF-1

Insulin, insulin like growth factor (IGF)-1, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling regulate independently angiogenesis through vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. In the present study, we investigated a potential cross-talk between these signaling pathways on hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha and VEGF expression. Retinal epithelial ARPE-19 cells were treated with AICAR, an AMPK activator, alone or in combination with insulin and IGF-1. AICAR stimulated VEGF mRNA expression, but did not modify the insulin- and IGF-1-induced VEGF expression. We have investigated the effect of AICAR on insulin and IGF-1 signaling pathways. We observed that AICAR increased insulin- and IGF-1-induced phosphorylation of PKB, whereas phosphorylation of S6K-1 was decreased. Moreover, AICAR and metformin inhibited the ability of insulin and IGF-1 to induce HIF-1alpha expression. These results show that AICAR and insulin/IGF-1 regulate VEGF expression through different mechanisms.     

Adiponectin inhibits neutrophil apoptosis via activation of AMP kinase, PKB and ERK 1/2 MAP kinase

Neutrophils are abundant, short-lived leukocytes that play a key role in the immune defense against microbial infections. These cells die by apoptosis following activation and uptake of microbes and will also enter apoptosis spontaneously at the end of their lifespan if they do not encounter a pathogen. Adiponectin exerts anti-inflammatory effects on neutrophil antimicrobial functions, but whether this abundant adipokine influences neutrophil apoptosis is unknown. Here we report that adiponectin in the physiological range (1–10 μg/ml) reduced apoptosis in resting neutrophils, decreasing caspase-3 cleavage and maintaining Mcl-1 expression by stabilizing this anti-apoptotic protein. We show that adiponectin induced phosphorylation of AMP-activated kinase (AMPK), protein kinase B (PKB), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 1/2) and p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK). Pharmacological inhibition of AMPK, PKB and ERK 1/2 ablated the pro-survival effects of adiponectin and treatment of neutrophils with an AMPK specific activator (AICAR) and AMPK inhibitor (compound C) respectively decreased and increased apoptosis. Finally, activation of AMPK by AICAR or adiponectin also decreased ceramide accumulation in the neutrophil cell membrane, a process involved in the early stages of spontaneous apoptosis, giving another possible mechanism downstream of AMPK activation for the inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis.     

Adiponectin increases BMP‐2 expression in osteoblasts via AdipoR receptor signaling pathway

Adiponectin is a protein hormone secreted predominantly by differentiated adipocytes and involved in energy homeostasis. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) plays important roles in osteoblastic differentiation and bone formation. However, the effects of adiponectin on BMPs expression in cultured osteoblasts are largely unknown. Here we found that adiponectin increased mRNA expression of BMP‐2 but not other BMPs in cultured osteoblastic cells. Stimulation of osteoblasts with adiponectin also increased protein levels of BMP‐2 by Western blot and ELISA assay. Adiponectin‐mediated BMP‐2 expression was attenuated by 5′‐AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) small interference RNA and AMPK inhibitor (araA and compound C). Activations of p38 and NF‐κB pathways after adiponectin treatment were demonstrated, and adiponectin‐induced expression of BMP‐2 was inhibited by the specific inhibitor and mutant of p38 and NF‐κB cascades. Taken together, our results provide evidence that adiponectin enhances BMP‐2 expression in osteoblastic cells, and AdipoR1 receptor, AMPK, p38 and NF‐κB signaling pathways may be involved in increasing BMP‐2 expression by adiponectin. J. Cell. Physiol. 224: 475–483, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Stimulation of glucose transport in response to activation of distinct AMPK signaling pathways

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a critical role in the stimulation of glucose transport in response to hypoxia and inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation. In the present study, we examined the signaling pathway(s) mediating the glucose transport response following activation of AMPK. Using mouse fibroblasts of AMPK wild type and AMPK knockout, we documented that the expression of AMPK is essential for the glucose transport response to both azide and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR). In Clone 9 cells, the stimulation of glucose transport by a combination of azide and AICAR was not additive, whereas there was an additive increase in the abundance of phosphorylated AMPK (p-AMPK). In Clone 9 cells, AMPK wild-type fibroblasts, and H9c2 heart cells, azide or hypoxia selectively increased p-ERK1/2, whereas, in contrast, AICAR selectively stimulated p-p38; phosphorylation of JNK was unaffected. Azide's effect on p-ERK1/2 abundance and glucose transport in Clone 9 cells was partially abolished by the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126. SB 203580, an inhibitor of p38, prevented the phosphorylation of p38 and the glucose transport response to AICAR and, unexpectedly, to azide. Hypoxia, azide, and AICAR all led to increased phosphorylation of Akt substrate of 160 kDa (AS160) in Clone 9 cells. Employing small interference RNA directed against AS160 did not inhibit the glucose transport response to azide or AICAR, whereas the content of P-AS160 was reduced by approximately 80%. Finally, we found no evidence for coimmunoprecipitation of Glut1 and p-AS160. We conclude that although azide, hypoxia, and AICAR all activate AMPK, the downstream signaling pathways are distinct, with azide and hypoxia stimulating ERK1/2 and AICAR stimulating the p38 pathway.     

Adiponectin inhibits spontaneous and catecholamine-induced lipolysis in human adipocytes of non-obese subjects through AMPK-dependent mechanisms

Adiponectin is an adipokine increasing glucose and fatty acid metabolism and improving insulin sensitivity. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of adiponectin in the regulation of adipocyte lipolysis. Human adipocytes isolated from biopsies obtained during surgical operations from 16 non-obese and 17 obese subjects were incubated with 1) human adiponectin (20 microg/ml) or 2) 0.5 mM AICAR - activator of AMPK (adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase). Following these incubations, isoprenaline was added (10(-6) M) to investigate the influence of adiponectin and AICAR on catecholamine-induced lipolysis. Glycerol concentration was measured as lipolysis marker. We observed that adiponectin suppressed spontaneous lipolysis by 21 % and isoprenaline-induced lipolysis by 14 % in non-obese subjects. These effects were not detectable in obese individuals, but statistically significant differences in the effect of adiponectin between obese and non-obese were not revealed by two way ANOVA test. The inhibitory effect of AICAR and adiponectin on lipolysis was reversed by Compound C. Our results suggest, that adiponectin in physiological concentrations inhibits spontaneous as well as catecholamine-induced lipolysis. This effect might be lower in obese individuals and this regulation seems to involve AMPK.     

Effects of AICAR and exercise on insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, signaling, and GLUT-4 content in rat muscles.

Physical activity is known to increase insulin action in skeletal muscle, and data have indicated that 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is involved in the molecular mechanisms behind this beneficial effect. 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR) can be used as a pharmacological tool to repetitively activate AMPK, and the objective of this study was to explore whether the increase in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake after either long-term exercise or chronic AICAR administration was followed by fiber-type-specific changes in insulin signaling and/or changes in GLUT-4 expression. Wistar rats were allocated into three groups: an exercise group trained on treadmill for 5 days, an AICAR group exposed to daily subcutaneous injections of AICAR, and a sedentary control group. AMPK activity, insulin-stimulated glucose transport, insulin signaling, and GLUT-4 expression were determined in muscles characterized by different fiber type compositions. Both exercised and AICAR-injected animals displayed a fiber-type-specific increase in glucose transport with the most marked increase in muscles with a high content of type IIb fibers. This increase was accompanied by a concomitant increase in GLUT-4 expression. Insulin signaling as assessed by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and PKB/Akt activity was enhanced only after AICAR administration and in a non-fiber-type-specific manner. In conclusion, chronic AICAR administration and long-term exercise both improve insulin-stimulated glucose transport in skeletal muscle in a fiber-type-specific way, and this is associated with an increase in GLUT-4 content.     

Activation of AMP-activated Protein Kinase Suppresses Oxidized Low-density Lipoprotein-induced Macrophage Proliferation

Macrophage-derived foam cells play important roles in the progression of atherosclerosis. We reported previously that ERK1/2-dependent granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) expression, leading to p38 MAPK/ Akt signaling, is important for oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL)-induced macrophage proliferation. Here, we investigated whether activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) could suppress macrophage proliferation. Ox-LDL-induced proliferation of mouse peritoneal macrophages was assessed by [³H]thymidine incorporation and cell counting assays. The proliferation was significantly inhibited by the AMPK activator 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR) and restored by dominant-negative AMPKα1, suggesting that AMPK activation suppressed macrophage proliferation. AICAR partially suppressed Ox-LDL-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and GM-CSF expression, suggesting that another mechanism is also involved in the AICAR-mediated suppression of macrophage proliferation. AICAR suppressed GM-CSF-induced macrophage proliferation without suppressing p38 MAPK/Akt signaling. GM-CSF suppressed p53 phosphorylation and expression and induced Rb phosphorylation. Overexpression of p53 or p27^kip suppressed GM-CSF-induced macrophage proliferation. AICAR induced cell cycle arrest, increased p53 phosphorylation and expression, and suppressed GM-CSF-induced Rb phosphorylation via AMPK activation. Moreover, AICAR induced p21^cip and p27^kip expression via AMPK activation, and small interfering RNA (siRNA) of p21^cip and p27^kip restored AICAR-mediated suppression of macrophage proliferation. In conclusion, AMPK activation suppressed Ox-LDL-induced macrophage proliferation by suppressing GM-CSF expression and inducing cell cycle arrest. These effects of AMPK activation may represent therapeutic targets for atherosclerosis.