title: Regulation of cardiomyocyte Glut4 expression by ZAC1.
abstract: The transcription factor ZAC1 is expressed in a variety of tissues including the developing heart, but its physiological role is unclear. We examined the role of ZAC1 in regulating expression of the insulin-responsive glucose transporter GLUT4 and whether ZAC1 expression is altered in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. We demonstrated expression of Zac1 mRNA and protein in rat cardiomyocytes by PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Using a combination of chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase assays, we showed that ZAC1 regulates Glut4 expression via a specific binding site in the Glut4 promoter. Overexpression of ZAC1 increased Glut4 mRNA and protein expression and resulted in increased glucose uptake in cardiomyocytes as determined by a fluorescent analog uptake assay. Induction of hypertrophy by phenylephrine or isoproterenol resulted in increased Zac1 expression. We identified a novel putative promoter in the Zac1 gene and demonstrated increased binding of MEF2 to this promoter in response to hypertrophic stimulation. MEF2 regulated transactivation of the Zac1 promoter and ZAC1 protein expression. This work identifies ZAC1 as a novel and previously unknown regulator of cardiomyocyte Glut4 expression and glucose uptake. Our results also implicate MEF2 as a regulator of ZAC1 expression in response to induction of hypertrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Manitoba, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 2A6, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Czubryt
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lamoureux
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramjiawan
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abrenica
authors.forename: Jaganmohan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jangamreddy
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Swan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D051379:Mice; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism*; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; C578035:MEF2A protein, human; C578037:MEF2A protein, rat; C578043:MEF2D protein, human; C578045:MEF2D protein, rat; C578036:Mef2a protein, mouse; C578044:Mef2d protein, mouse; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; C106464:PLAGL1 protein, human; C498423:Plagl1 protein, mouse; C498422:Plagl1 protein, rat; C495692:SLC2A4 protein, human; C495693:Slc2a4 protein, mouse; C495694:Slc2a4 protein, rat; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins