AMP-activated protein kinase is essential for survival in chronic hypoxia

This study was undertaken to interrogate cancer cell survival during long-term hypoxic stress. Two systems with relevance to carcinogenesis were employed: Fully transformed BJ cells and a renal carcinoma cell line (786-0). The dynamic of AMPK activity was consistent with a prosurvival role during chronic hypoxia. This was further supported by the effects of AMPK agonists and antagonists (AICAR and compound C). Expression of a dominant-negative AMPK alpha resulted in a decreased ATP level and significantly compromised survival in hypoxia. Dose-dependent prosurvival effects of rapamycin were consistent with mTOR inhibition being a critical downstream mediator of AMPK in persistent low oxygen.     

塞来昔布对慢性低O_2高CO_2大鼠肺动脉高压的影响及其机制研究

目的：探讨塞来昔布对慢性低O2高CO2大鼠肺动脉高压的作用。方法：将SD大鼠分为正常对照组,慢性低O2高CO2组,慢性低O2高CO2＋塞来昔布组。用电镜、放免等方法,观察各组大鼠肺动脉平均压、颈动脉平均压、肺细小动脉显微结构、血浆和肺匀浆血栓素B2（TXB2）及6-酮-前列腺素F1α（6-keto-PGF1α）含量的变化。结果：①慢性低O2高CO2组平均肺动脉压（mPAP）比正常组显著升高,塞来昔布组的mPAP比慢性低O2高CO2组显著升高,3组间平均颈动脉压（mCAP）比较差异无显著性。②慢性低O2高CO2组与正常对照组相比血浆和肺匀浆TXB2浓度、TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α比值显著增高,6-keto-PGF1α浓度显著下降;塞来昔布组与慢性低O2高CO2组相比血浆和肺匀浆TXB2浓度无明显变化、TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α显著升高,6-keto-PGF1α显著下降。③光镜下慢性低O2高CO2组与正常组相比,肺细小动脉管壁面积/管总面积（WA/TA）和肺细小动脉中膜厚度（PAMT）均显著增高。塞来昔布组与慢性低O2高CO2组相比WA/TA和PAMT显著增高。④电镜下慢性低O2高CO2组大鼠肺细小动脉内皮细胞吞饮小泡增多,血管壁增厚,中膜平滑肌细胞增生,纤维细胞增多,肺泡II型上皮细胞微绒毛脱落;塞来昔布组中膜平滑肌细胞增大、增多,胞浆肌丝丰富,平滑肌细胞间隙增宽,肺泡隔胶原纤维增生明显。结论：塞来昔布可能有加重慢性低O2高CO2性肺动脉高压和肺血管结构重建倾向,过度抑制COX-2,使TXA2/PGI2比值升高可能是其作用机制之一。     

AMP-activated protein kinase kinase activity and phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase in contracting muscle of sedentary and endurance-trained rats

This study was designed to examine activity of AMP-activated protein kinase kinase (AMPKK) in muscles from nontrained and endurance-trained rats. Rats were trained 5 days/wk, 2 h/day for 8 wk at a final intensity of 32 m/min up a 15% grade with 30-s sprints at 53 m/min every 10 min. Gastrocnemius muscles were stimulated in situ in trained and nontrained rats for 5 min at frequencies of 0.4/s and 1/s. Gastrocnemius LKB1 protein, a putative component of the AMPKK complex (LKB1, STRAD, and MO25), increased approximately twofold in response to training. Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) determined by Western blot and AMPK activity of immunoprecipitates (both isoforms) was increased at both stimulation rates in both trained and nontrained muscles. AMPKK activity was 73% lower in resuspended polyethylene glycol precipitates of muscle extracts from the trained compared with nontrained rats. AMPKK activity did not increase in either trained or nontrained muscle in response to electrical stimulation, even though phospho-AMPK did increase. These results suggest that AMPKK is activated during electrical stimulation of both trained and nontrained muscle by mechanisms other than covalent modification.     

蛋白激酶AMPK的研究进展

AMP激活的蛋白激酶(AMP-activated protein kinase,AMPK)广泛存在于真核细胞中,一旦被激活,即可磷酸化下游靶蛋白,关闭消耗ATP的合成代谢途径,开启产生ATP的分解代谢途径,被称为“细胞能量调节器”。许多新的下游靶蛋白的发现也为AMPK生物学效应的阐明提供了新思路。     

内质网应激在大鼠低氧高二氧化碳性肺动脉高压中的作用

目的：观察低氧高二氧化碳性肺动脉高压大鼠的肺血管重塑并探讨内质网应激（ERS）在肺动脉高压中的作用。方法：将40只SD大鼠随机分为四组：常氧对照组（N）、低氧高二氧化碳组（HH）、ERS通路抑制剂4-苯基丁酸（4-phenylbutyric acid）组（4-PBA）、ERS通路激动剂衣霉素（tunicamycin）组（TM）,n=10。测量各组大鼠的肺动脉平均压（mPAP）、颈动脉平均压以及右心室肥大指数,免疫荧光α-SMA标记法鉴定各组肺中小动脉平滑肌细胞,电镜观察肺组织及肺中小动脉形态学变化,原位末端标记法（TUNEL）检测各组肺动脉平滑肌细胞的凋亡指数,采用RT-PCR和Western blot分别检测各组大鼠葡萄糖调节蛋白78（GRP78）、C/EBP同源蛋白（CHOP）、c-Jun氨基末端激酶（JNK）、天冬氨酸特异性半胱氨酸蛋白酶-12（caspase-12）mRNA及蛋白质表达。结果：①与N组相比,HH组、4-PBA组、TM组mPAP、右心室游离壁重量/左心室加心室间隔重量[RV/（LV+S）]、肺动脉管壁面积/管总面积（WA/TA）比值增加（P<0.0 1）,肺动脉管腔面积/管总面积（LA/TA）比值减小（P<0.01）,细胞凋亡指数降低（P <0.05或P<0.01）。ERS相关蛋白质及mRNA的表达量升高,各差异均有统计学意义。②与HH组相比,4-PB A组mPAP和[RV/（LV+S）]、WA/TA值减小（P<0.01）,LA/TA值和细胞凋亡指数上升（P<0.05或P<0.01）,ERS相关蛋白质和mRNA的表达量均下调（P<0.05或P<0.01）;③与HH组相比,TM组mPAP、[RV/（LV+S）]、WA/TA值升高（P<0.05或P<0.01）;肺动脉中膜层增厚,LA/TA值和细胞凋亡指数降低（P<0.01）。ERS相关蛋白质及mRNA的表达量均升高,除GRP78蛋白质表达量无明显变化外,其余各差异均有统计学意义。结论：低氧高二氧化碳诱导的肺动脉高压大鼠肺血管重塑可能与肺动脉平滑肌细胞增殖过度及凋亡过少有关;ERS相关因子（JNK、caspase-12和CHOP）参与低氧高二氧化碳性肺动脉高压的调控。     

NO和HIF-1α在大鼠低氧性肺动脉高压中的作用及相互关系

目的：探讨低氧诱导因子1α（HIF-1α）在慢性低氧高二氧化碳性大鼠肺动脉高压中的变化及其与一氧化氮（NO）的关系。方法：SD大鼠40只随机分为正常对照组（NC）、低氧高二氧化碳组（HH）、低氧高二氧化碳加L-精氨酸（L-Arg）脂质体组（HP）、低氧高二氧化碳加L-硝基-精氨酸甲酯（L-NAME）组（HM）。测定平均肺动脉压（mPAP）、右室／（左室＋室间隔）重量比[RV／（LV＋S）]、血浆和肺组织匀浆一氧化氮（NO）含量。免疫组织化学和原位杂交法检测肺细小动脉HIF-1α及HIF-1αmRNA、内皮结构型一氧化氮合酶（ecNCS）蛋白及其mRNA的表达。结果：①HH组mPAP、RV／（LV＋S）高于NC组（P〈0．05）,HP组低于HH组（P〈0．01）;HM组mPAP高于HH组（P〈0．05）,RV／（LV＋S）与HH组差异无显著性。②HH组血浆及肺组织匀浆NO含量低于NC组（P〈0．01）,HP组高于HH组（P〈0．01）;HM组血浆、肺组织匀浆NO含量与HH组差异无显著性。③HH组肺细小动脉HIF-1α蛋白及HIF-1αmRNA表达高于NC组（P〈0．01）,ecNOSmRNA的表达低于NC组（P〈0．01）;HP组肺细小动脉HIF-1α蛋白及HIF-1αmRNA表达低于HH（P〈0．01）,ecNOS蛋白和ecNOSmRNA的表达高于HH组（P〈0．01）;HM组肺细小动脉HIR-1α蛋白及mRNA表达高于HH组（P〈0．05）,ecNOS蛋白和mRNA的表达低于HH组（P〈0．05）。结论：HIF-1α参与了慢性低氧高二氧化碳性大鼠肺动脉高压的形成,NO可能部分通过影响HIF-1α的表达和／或活性而实现其肺血管保护效应。     

The connexin43 gap junction protein is phosphorylated by protein kinase A and protein kinase C: In vivo and in vitro studies

There is general agreement that the connexin43 gap junction protein is a substrate for phosphorylation by protein kinase C but there is no similar consensus regarding the action of protein kinase A. Our previous studies demonstrated that channels formed by connexin43 were reversibly gated in response to microinjected protein kinase A and protein kinase C, but we did not determine whether these effects involved direct action on the connexin43 protein. Using a combination of in vivo metabolic labeling and in vitro phosphorylation of recombinant protein and synthetic peptides, we now find that connexin43 is a relatively poor substrate for purified protein kinase A compared to protein kinase C, but that phosphorylation can be accelerated by 8-Br-cAMP (8-bromoadenosine 3,5-cyclic monophosphate) which also enhances connexin43 synthesis but at a much slower rate than phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of a critical amino acid, Ser364, by protein kinase A, appears to be necessary for subsequent multiple phosphorylations by protein kinase C. However, protein kinase C can phosphorylate connexin43 at a reduced level in the absence of prior phosphorylation. The results suggest that the correct regulation of channels formed by connexin43 may require sequential phosphorylations of this protein by protein kinase A and protein kinase C.     

Adrenergic regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase in brown adipose tissue in vivo

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an evolutionarily conserved serine-threonine kinase that senses cellular energy status, is activated by stress and neurohumoral stimuli. We investigated the mechanisms by which adrenergic signaling alters AMPK activation in vivo. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is highly enriched in sympathetic innervation, which is critical for regulation of energy homeostasis. We performed unilateral denervation of BAT in wild type (WT) mice to abolish neural input. Six days post-denervation, UCP-1 protein levels and AMPK α2 protein and activity were reduced by 45%. In β(1,2,3)-adrenergic receptor knock-out mice, unilateral denervation led to a 25-45% decrease in AMPK activity, protein expression, and Thr(172) phosphorylation. In contrast, acute α- or β-adrenergic blockade in WT mice resulted in increased AMPK α Thr(172) phosphorylation and AMPK α1 and α2 activity in BAT. But short term blockade of α-adrenergic signaling in β(1,2,3)-adrenergic receptor knock-out mice resulted in decreased AMPK activity in BAT, which strongly correlated with enhanced phosphorylation of AMPK on Ser(485/491), a site associated with inhibition of AMPK activity. Both PKA and AKT inhibitors attenuated AMPK Ser(485/491) phosphorylation resulting from α-adrenergic blockade and prevented decreases in AMPK activity. In vitro mechanistic studies in BAT explants showed that the effects of α-adrenergic blockade appeared to be secondary to inhibition of oxygen consumption. In conclusion, adrenergic pathways regulate AMPK activity in vivo acutely via alterations in Thr(172) phosphorylation and chronically through changes in the α catalytic subunit protein levels. Furthermore, AMPK α Ser(485/491) phosphorylation may be a novel mechanism to inhibit AMPK activity in vivo and alter its biological effects.     

Mammalian TAK1 activates Snf1 protein kinase in yeast and phosphorylates AMP-activated protein kinase in vitro

The Snf1/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) family is important for metabolic regulation and is highly conserved from yeast to mammals. The upstream kinases are also functionally conserved, and the AMPK kinases LKB1 and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase activate Snf1 in mutant yeast cells lacking the native Snf1-activating kinases, Sak1, Tos3, and Elm1. Here, we exploited the yeast genetic system to identify members of the mammalian AMPK kinase family by their function as Snf1-activating kinases. A mouse embryo cDNA library in a yeast expression vector was used to transform sak1Delta tos3Delta elm1Delta yeast cells. Selection for a Snf+ growth phenotype yielded cDNA plasmids expressing LKB1, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase, and transforming growth factor-beta-activated kinase (TAK1), a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase family. We present genetic and biochemical evidence that TAK1 activates Snf1 protein kinase in vivo and in vitro. We further show that recombinant TAK1, fused to the activation domain of its binding partner TAB1, phosphorylates Thr-172 in the activation loop of the AMPK catalytic domain. Finally, expression of TAK1 and TAB1 in HeLa cells or treatment of cells with cytokines stimulated phosphorylation of Thr-172 of AMPK. These findings indicate that TAK1 is a functional member of the Snf1/AMPK kinase family and support TAK1 as a candidate for an authentic AMPK kinase in mammalian cells.     

UCP-3 expression in skeletal muscle: effects of exercise, hypoxia, and AMP-activated protein kinase

Uncoupling protein 3 (UCP-3), a member of the mitochondrial transporter superfamily, is expressed primarily in skeletal muscle where it may play a role in altering metabolic function under conditions of fuel depletion caused, for example, by fasting and exercise. Here, we show that treadmill running by rats rapidly (30 min) induces skeletal muscle UCP-3 mRNA expression (sevenfold after 200 min), as do hypoxia and swimming in a comparably rapid and substantial fashion. The expression of the mitochondrial transporters, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 and the tricarboxylate carrier, is unaffected under these conditions. Hypoxia and exercise-mediated induction of UCP-3 mRNA result in a corresponding four- to sixfold increase in rat UCP-3 protein. We treated extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle with 5'-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR), a compound that activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an enzyme known to be stimulated during exercise and hypoxia. Incubation of rat EDL muscle in vitro for 30 min with 2 mM AICAR causes a threefold increase in UCP-3 mRNA and a 1.5-fold increase of UCP-3 protein compared with untreated muscle. These data are consistent with the notion that activation of AMPK, presumably as a result of fuel depletion, rapidly regulates UCP-3 gene expression.     

Effects of acute hypobaric hypoxia and exhaustive exercise on AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylation in rat skeletal muscle

The present study was aimed to explore the changes of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (pAMPK) level in skeletal muscle after exposure to acute hypobaric hypoxia and exhaustive exercise. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into sea level and high altitude groups. The rats in high altitude group were submitted to simulated 5 000 m of high altitude in a hypobaric chamber for 24 h, and sea level group was maintained at normal conditions. All the rats were subjected to exhaustive swimming exercise. The exhaustion time was recorded. Before and after the exercise, blood lactate and glycogen content in skeletal muscle were determined; AMPK and pAMPK levels in skeletal muscle were detected by Western blot. The results showed that the exhaustion time was significantly decreased after exposure to high altitude. At the moment of exhaustion, high altitude group had lower blood lactate concentration and higher surplus glycogen content in gastrocnemius compared with sea level group. Exhaustive exercise significantly increased the pAMPK/AMPK ratio in rat skeletal muscles from both sea level and high altitude groups. However, high altitude group showed lower pAMPK/AMPK ratio after exhaustion compared to sea level group. These results suggest that, after exposure to acute hypobaric hypoxia, the decrement in exercise capacity may not be due to running out of glycogen, accumulation of lactate or disturbance in energy status in skeletal muscle.     

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside inhibits cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo via AMP-activated protein kinase

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-4-ribofuranoside (AICAR) is widely used as an AMP-kinase activator, which regulates energy homeostasis and response to metabolic stress. Here, we investigated the effect of AICAR, an AMPK activator, on proliferation of various cancer cells and observed that proliferation of all the examined cell lines was significantly inhibited by AICAR treatment due to arrest in S-phase accompanied with increased expression of p21, p27, and p53 proteins and inhibition of PI3K-Akt pathway. Inhibition in in vitro growth of cancer cells was mirrored in vivo with increased expression of p21, p27, and p53 and attenuation of Akt phosphorylation. Anti-proliferative effect of AICAR is mediated through activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as iodotubericidin and dominant-negative AMPK expression vector reversed the AICAR-mediated growth arrest. Moreover, constitutive active AMPK arrested the cells in S-phase by inducing the expression of p21, p27, and p53 proteins and inhibiting Akt phosphorylation, suggesting the involvement of AMPK. AICAR inhibited proliferation in both LKB and LKB knock-out mouse embryo fibroblasts to similar extent and arrested cells at S-phase when transfected with dominant negative expression vector of LKB. Altogether, these results indicate that AICAR can be utilized as a therapeutic drug to inhibit cancer, and AMPK can be a potential target for treatment of various cancers independent of the functional tumor suppressor gene, LKB.     

Phosphorylation of rat muscle acetyl-CoA carboxylase by AMP-activated protein kinase and protein kinase A

Winder, W. W., H. A. Wilson, D. G. Hardie, B. B. Rasmussen,C. A. Hutber, G. B. Call, R. D. Clayton, L. M. Conley, S. Yoon, and B. Zhou. Phosphorylation of rat muscle acetyl-CoA carboxylase byAMP-activated protein kinase and protein kinase A. J. Appl. Physiol. 82(1): 219-225, 1997This studywas designed to compare functional effects of phosphorylation of muscleacetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) by adenosine 3,5-cyclicmonophosphate-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and by AMP-activatedprotein kinase (AMPK). Muscle ACC (272 kDa) was phosphorylated and thensubjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresisfollowed by autoradiography. Functional effects of phosphorylation weredetermined by measuring ACC activity at different concentrations ofeach of the substrates and of citrate, an activator of the enzyme. Themaximal velocity(V_max) and theMichaelis constants(K_m) for ATP,acetyl-CoA, and bicarbonate were unaffected by phosphorylation by PKA.Phosphorylation by AMPK increased theK_m for ATP andacetyl-CoA. Sequential phosphorylation by PKA and AMPK, first withoutlabel and second with label, appeared to reduce the extent of label incorporation, regardless of the order. The activation constant (K_a) forcitrate activation was increased to the same extent by AMPKphosphorylation, regardless of previous or subsequent phosphorylation by PKA. Thus muscle ACC can be phosphorylated by PKA but with noapparent functional effects on the enzyme. AMPK appears to be the moreimportant regulator of muscle ACC.

     

阿斯匹林对大鼠在低O2高CO2下肺动脉高压的作用

目的：研究阿斯匹林(ASA)对慢性低O2高CO2性肺动脉高压的抑制作用。方法：将SD大鼠分为正常对照组,慢性低O2高CO2组,慢性低O2高CO2 阿斯匹林组。用光镜、放射免疫等方法,观察各组大鼠肺动脉平均压(mPAP)、颈动脉平均压(mCAP)、肺细小动脉显微结构、血浆和肺匀浆TXB2及6-keto-PGF1α含量的变化。结果：①低O2高CO2组mPAP比正常组显著增高,ASA组的mPAP比低O2高CO2组显著降低,3组间mCAP比较差异无显著性。②光镜下低O2高CO2组与正常组相比,肺细小动脉管壁面积／管总面积(WA／TA)和肺细小动脉中膜厚度(PAMT)均显著增高。ASA组WA／TA和PAMT显著降低。③低O2高CO2组血浆和肺匀浆TXB2、6-keto-PGF1α浓度以及TXB2／6-keto-PGF1α比正常组显著增高,而ASA组与低O2高CO2组相比显著降低。结论：ASA有抑制慢性低O2高CO2性肺动脉高压和肺血管重构的作用。     

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids alter myocardial protein kinase C expression and affect cardioprotection induced by chronic hypoxia

We examined the influence of dietary fatty acid (FA) classes on the expression of protein kinase C (PKC) delta and epsilon in relation to the cardioprotective effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). Adult male Wistar rats were fed a nonfat diet enriched with 10% lard (saturated FA [SFA]), fish oil (n-3 polyunsaturated FA [n-3 PUFA]), or corn oil (n-6 PUFA) for 10 weeks. After 4 weeks on the diet, each group was divided into two subgroups that were either exposed to CIH in a barochamber (7000 m, 8 hrs/ day) or kept at normoxia for an additional 5-6 weeks. A FA phospholipid profile and Western blot analysis of PKC were performed in left ventricles. Infarct size was assessed in anesthetized animals subjected to 20-min coronary artery occlusion and 3-hr reperfusion. CIH decreased the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in all groups by 23% independently of the initial value set by various diets. The combination of n-3 diet and CIH had a stronger antiarrhythmic effect during reperfusion than the n-3 diet alone; this effect was less pronounced in rats fed the n-6 diet. The normoxic n-6 group exhibited smaller infarctions (by 22%) than the n-3 group. CIH decreased the infarct size in n-3 and SFA groups (by 20% and 23%, respectively) but not in the n-6 group. Unlike PKC epsilon, the abundance of PKC delta in the myocardial particulate fraction was increased by CIH except for the n-6 group. Myocardial infarct size was negatively correlated (r=- 0.79) with the abundance of PKC delta in the particulate fraction. We conclude that lipid diets modify the infarct size-limiting effect of CIH by a mechanism that involves the PKC delta-dependent pathway.     

Pioglitazone treatment activates AMP-activated protein kinase in rat liver and adipose tissue in vivo

Thiazolidinediones have been shown to activate AMP-activated protein kinase activity in cultured cells. Whether they have a similar effect in vivo and if so whether it is physiologically relevant is not known. To assess these questions, we examined the effects of pioglitazone, administered orally to intact rats, on AMPK phosphorylation (AMPK-P) (a measure of its activation) and acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) activity and malonyl CoA concentration in rat liver and adipose tissue. In the first study, measurements were made in the Dahl-salt-sensitive rat (Dahl-S), a strain of Sprague-Dawley rat with endogenous hypertriglyceridemia and high levels of malonyl CoA that are restored to control values by pioglitazone. Treatment with pioglitazone (20mg/kg bw/day for 3 weeks) did not significantly increase either P-AMPK or P-ACC (which varies inversely with ACC activity) in control rats. However, in the Dahl-S rats values for AMPK-P and ACC-P were 50% lower than in control rats and were doubled by pioglitazone treatment. In a second study, the effects of two weeks treatment with pioglitazone (3mg/kg bw/day administered orally) were evaluated in Wistar rats. Under basal conditions (no manipulation of the animals), pioglitazone increased AMPK phosphorylation by twofold and decreased ACC activity and the concentration of malonyl CoA by 50% in liver. Following a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (6h), 50% decreases in AMPK and ACC phosphorylation (indicating an increase in its activity) and comparable increases in malonyl CoA concentration were observed in liver and adipose tissue. In both tissues, pre-treatment with pioglitazone prevented these changes. Where studied (in Wistar rats under basal conditions) treatment with pioglitazone decreased the concentration of ATP by 1/3 and increased the concentration of ADP and AMP in liver. The results indicate that treatment with pioglitazone can increase AMPK activity in rat liver and adipose tissue in a variety of circumstances. They also suggest that this activation of AMPK may be mediated by a change in cellular energy state. Whether these effects of pioglitazone contribute to its insulin-sensitizing and other actions in vivo remains to be determined.     

The stimulation of glycolysis by hypoxia in activated monocytes is mediated by AMP-activated protein kinase and inducible 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase

The activation of monocytes involves a stimulation of glycolysis, release of potent inflammatory mediators, and alterations in gene expression. All of these processes are known to be further increased under hypoxic conditions. The activated monocytes express inducible 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase (iPFK-2), which synthesizes fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, a stimulator of glycolysis. During ischemia, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activates the homologous heart 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase isoform by phosphorylating its Ser-466. Here, we studied the involvement of AMPK and iPFK-2 in the stimulation of glycolysis in activated monocytes under hypoxia. iPFK-2 was phosphorylated on the homologous serine (Ser-461) and activated by AMPK in vitro. The activation of human monocytes by lipopolysaccharide induced iPFK-2 expression and increased fructose 2,6-bisphosphate content and glycolysis. The incubation of activated monocytes with oligomycin, an inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation, or under hypoxic conditions activated AMPK and further increased iPFK-2 activity, fructose 2,6-bisphosphate content, and glycolysis. In cultured human embryonic kidney 293 cells, the expression of a dominant-negative AMPK prevented both the activation and phosphorylation of co-transfected iPFK-2 by oligomycin. It is concluded that the stimulation of glycolysis by hypoxia in activated monocytes requires the phosphorylation and activation of iPFK-2 by AMPK.