title: The increase in cardiac pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-4 after short-term dexamethasone is controlled by an Akt-p38-forkhead box other factor-1 signaling axis.
abstract: Glucocorticoids increase pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-4 (PDK4) mRNA and protein expression, which phosphorylates pyruvate dehydrogenase, thereby preventing the formed pyruvate from undergoing mitochondrial oxidation. This increase in PDK4 expression is mediated by the mandatory presence of Forkhead box other factors (FoxOs) in the nucleus. In the current study, we examined the importance of the nongenomic effects of dexamethasone (Dx) in determining the compartmentalization of FoxO and hence its transcriptional activity. Rat cardiomyocytes exposed to Dx produced a robust decrease in glucose oxidation. Measurement of FoxO compartmentalization demonstrated increase in nuclear but resultant decrease in cytosolic content of FoxO1 with no change in the total content. The increase in nuclear content of FoxO1 correlated to an increase in nuclear phospho-p38 MAPK together with a robust association between this transcription factor and kinase. Dx also promoted nuclear retention of FoxO1 through a decrease in phosphorylation of Akt, an effect mediated by heat shock proteins binding to Akt. Measurement of the nuclear and total expression of sirtuin-1 protein showed no change after Dx. Instead, Dx increased the association of sirtuin-1 with FoxO1, thereby causing a decrease in FoxO acetylation. Manipulation of FoxO1 through agents that interfere with its nuclear shuttling or acetylation were effective in reducing Dx-induced increase in PDK4 protein expression. Our data suggest that FoxO1 has a major PDK4-regulating function. In addition, given the recent suggestions that altering glucose use can set the stage for heart failure, manipulating FoxO could assist in devising new therapeutic strategies to optimize cardiac metabolism and prevent PDK4 induced cardiac complications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Prasanth
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puthanveetil
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Min Suk
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abrahani
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D005947:Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C074639:Foxo1 protein, rat; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; C403287:pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4