PGC-1alpha coactivates estrogen-related receptor-alpha to induce the expression of glucokinase

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Jun;298(6):E1210-8. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00633.2009. Epub 2010 Mar 9.

Abstract

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) is a key regulator of cellular energy metabolism and regulates processes such as adaptive thermogenesis, hepatic gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, and mitochondrial biogenesis by coactivating numerous nuclear receptors and transcription factors. Here, we demonstrate the presence of the ERRalpha binding site in the regulatory sequence of the glucokinase gene and that PGC-1alpha coactivates ERRalpha to stimulate the transcription of glucokinase. Simultaneous overexpression of PGC-1alpha and ERRalpha potently induced the glucokinase gene expression and its enzymatic activity in primary hepatocytes; however, expression of either PGC-1alpha or ERRalpha alone had no significant effect. Electrophoretic mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed the interaction of ERRalpha with the glucokinase promoter. Finally, the knockdown of endogenous ERRalpha with specific siRNA (siERRalpha) or pharmacological inhibition of ERRalpha with XCT790 attenuated insulin-induced glucokinase expression. Taken together, this research identifies glucokinase as a novel target of PGC-1alpha/ERRalpha and underscores the regulatory function of ERRalpha in insulin-dependent enzyme regulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • ERRalpha Estrogen-Related Receptor
  • Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay
  • Glucokinase / biosynthesis*
  • Glucokinase / genetics
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • RNA / chemistry
  • RNA / genetics
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / administration & dosage
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Receptors, Estrogen / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Insulin
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • Ppargc1a protein, rat
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Transcription Factors
  • RNA
  • Glucokinase
  • Glucose