Cited by 5,652Metabolism, Diabetes, and CancerPeroxisome Proliferator-Activated ReceptorsNatural Antidiabetic Agents Studies

Role of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase in Mechanism of Metformin Action

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Zhou, Gaochao, Myers, Robert, Li, Ying, Chen, Yuli, Shen, Xiaolan, Fenyk-Melody, Judy, Wu, Margaret, Ventre, John +6 more·2001·Journal of Clinical Investigation

Abstract

Metformin is a widely used drug for treatment of type 2 diabetes with no defined cellular mechanism of action. Its glucose-lowering effect results from decreased hepatic glucose production and increased glucose utilization. Metformin's beneficial effects on circulating lipids have been linked to reduced fatty liver. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a major cellular regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism. Here we report that metformin activates AMPK in hepatocytes; as a result, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) activity is reduced, fatty acid oxidation is induced, and expression of lipogenic enzymes is suppressed. Activation of AMPK by metformin or an adenosine analogue suppresses expression of SREBP-1, a key lipogenic transcription factor. In metformin-treated rats, hepatic expression of SREBP-1 (and other lipogenic) mRNAs and protein is reduced; activity of the AMPK target, ACC, is also reduced. Using a novel AMPK inhibitor, we find that AMPK activation is required for metformin's inhibitory effect on glucose production by hepatocytes. In isolated rat skeletal muscles, metformin stimulates glucose uptake coincident with AMPK activation. Activation of AMPK provides a unified explanation for the pleiotropic beneficial effects of this drug; these results also suggest that alternative means of modulating AMPK should be useful for the treatment of metabolic disorders.

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Authors
Zhou, G., Myers, R., Li, Y., Chen, Y., Shen, X., Fenyk-Melody, J., Wu, M., Ventre, J., Doebber, T., Fujii, N., Musi, N., Hirshman, M. F., Goodyear, L. J., & Moller, D. E.
Affiliations
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA (United States) (US)
Corresponding author
Zhou, Gaochao
Venue
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Published
2001-10-15
Volume
108
Issue
8
Pages
1167-1174
ISSN
0021-9738 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2138226825
Cited by
5,652
References
36
Citations by year
2026: 149 · 2025: 182 · 2024: 198 · 2023: 234 · 2022: 270 · 2021: 312 · 2020: 272 · 2019: 310 · 2018: 306 · 2017: 304 · 2016: 296 · 2015: 331 · 2014: 307 · 2013: 295 · 2012: 291
FWCI
26.36
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Clinical Investigation (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Metabolism, Diabetes, and Cancer
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Natural Antidiabetic Agents Studies
Keywords
metformin, AMPK, type 2 diabetes, hepatic glucose production, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, SREBP1, lipogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, glucose uptake, skeletal muscle, hepatic lipid metabolism, AMPK inhibitors
MeSH terms
Aminoimidazole Carboxamide, Animals, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, DNA-Binding Proteins, Enzyme Activation, Fatty Acids, Glucose, Humans, Hypoglycemic Agents, Male, Metformin, Multienzyme Complexes, Protein Kinases, Pyrazoles, Pyrimidines, Ribonucleotides, RNA, Messenger, Transcription Factors, Gene Expression, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases, Muscle, Skeletal, CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins, Hepatocytes, Protein Kinase Inhibitors, Rats, Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1, AMP-Activated Protein Kinases, In Vitro Techniques

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