title: Contraction regulation of Akt in rat skeletal muscle.
abstract: The protein serine/threonine kinase Akt/protein kinase B has been recognized as a critical signaling mediator for multiple cell systems. The function of Akt in skeletal muscle is not well understood, and whether contractile activity stimulates Akt activity has been controversial. In the current study, contraction in situ, induced via sciatic nerve stimulation, significantly increased Akt Ser(473) phosphorylation in multiple muscle types including the extensor digitorum longus (13-fold over basal), plantaris (5.8-fold), red gastrocnemius (4.7-fold), white gastrocnemius (3.3-fold), and soleus (1.6-fold). In addition to increasing phosphorylation, contraction in situ significantly increased the activity of all three Akt isoforms (Akt1 > Akt2 > Akt3) with maximal activation occurring at 2.5 min and returning to base line with 15 min of contraction. Akt phosphorylation and activity were also increased when isolated muscles were contracted in vitro in the absence of systemic factors, although to a much lesser extent. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 fully inhibited contraction-stimulated Akt phosphorylation and activity but did not diminish contraction-stimulated glycogen synthase kinase-3 phosphorylation and glycogen synthase activity. These results demonstrate that contraction increases Akt phosphorylation and activity in skeletal muscle and that this stimulation is rapid, transient, muscle fiber type-specific, and wortmannin- and LY294002-inhibitable. Akt signaling is not necessary for the regulation of glycogen synthase activity in contracting skeletal muscle.
authors.affiliation: Research Division, Joslin Diabetes Center and the Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hirshman
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Aschenbach
authors.forename: Laurie J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Goodyear
mesh_terms: D000730:Androstadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006006:Glycogen Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D038341:Glycogen Synthase Kinases; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D051381:Rats; D012694:Serine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013912:Threonine / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D000077191:Wortmannin
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D002867:Chromones; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007328:Insulin; D009025:Morpholines; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D013912:Threonine; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; D014443:Tyrosine; D012694:Serine; D006006:Glycogen Synthase; D038341:Glycogen Synthase Kinases; C494920:Akt1 protein, rat; C494923:Akt2 protein, rat; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D000077191:Wortmannin