title: Impaired suppression of gluconeogenesis induced by overexpression of a noninsulin-responsive phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene.
abstract: Despite detailed knowledge of the regulation of individual steps in the gluconeogenic pathway, the relative importance of each step to the overall control of gluconeogenesis by insulin is not known. The aim of this study was to determine the role of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) in the regulation of gluconeogenesis by insulin. Clones of the rat hepatoma cell line H4IIE-C3 were produced, overexpressing a PEPCK gene, driven by a promoter not responsive to insulin. In these cells basal gluconeogenesis from 2-[14C]pyruvate was increased 2.1-fold compared to controls (4.63 +/- 0.49 nmol/10(5) cells vs. 2.21 +/- 0.24 nmol/10(5) cells after 3 h, P < 0.05, n = 5). Increased gluconeogenesis was associated with an increase in basal PEPCK mRNA levels (1.9-fold) and enzyme activity (2.8-fold). Insulin (10(-7) M) suppressed basal gluconeogenesis, PEPCK mRNA levels, and enzyme activity in control cells, but no detectable decrease was observed in PEPCK-transfected cells. These experiments provide direct evidence in intact cells that PEPCK is the rate-limiting enzyme in gluconeogenesis from pyruvate and show that insulin's action to inhibit gluconeogenesis is predominantly on the inhibition of PEPCK transcription.
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosella
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Zajac
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kaczmarczyk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andrikopoulos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Proietto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D006597:Fructose-Bisphosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D005943:Gluconeogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010729:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011773:Pyruvates / Q000378:metabolism; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D011773:Pyruvates; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; D006597:Fructose-Bisphosphatase; D010729:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP)