Glucose metabolism: PGC-1 targets insulin/cAMP axis

The target of the insulin/cyclic AMP axis in the regulation of glucose metabolism has proved elusive. Reports from two groups now point to the transcriptional coactivator PGC-1 as a central component in the gluconeogenic pathway. Suppression of PGC-1 inhibits gluconeogenesis and gluconeolysis in both cultured liver cells and in living rats. Since defective gluconeogenesis is a major defect in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, this result could have immediate pathophysiological and therapeutic implications. The suppression of glucose output from the liver is a high priority in managing diabetes.

Control of hepatic gluconeogenesis through the transcriptional coactivator PGC-1
J. CLIFF YOON, PERE PUIGSERVER, GUOXUN CHEN, JERRY DONOVAN, ZHIDAN WU, JAMES RHEE, GUILLAUME ADELMANT, JOHN STAFFORD, C. RONALD KAHN, DARYL K. GRANNER, CHRISTOPHER B. NEWGARD & BRUCE M. SPIEGELMAN
Nature 413, 131–138 (13 September 2001)
| Summary | Full Text | PDF (289 K) |

CREB regulates hepatic gluconeogenesis through the coactivator PGC-1
STEPHAN HERZIG, FANXIN LONG, ULUPI S. JHALA, SUSAN HEDRICK, REBECCA QUINN, ANTON BAUER, DOROTHEA RUDOLPH, GUNTHER SCHUTZ, CLIFF YOON, PERE PUIGSERVER, BRUCE SPIEGELMAN & MARC MONTMINY
Nature 413, 179–183 (13 September 2001)
| First Paragraph | Full Text | PDF (162 K) | Supplementary Information |

Metabolism: Controlling the glucose factory
ANTONIO VIDAL-PUIG & STEPHEN O'RAHILLY
In times of starvation the liver turns into a glucose-producing organ, providing fuel for the brain. The hormonal signals that control this switch in glucose metabolism may converge on a single regulatory molecule.
Nature 413, 125–126 (13 September 2001)
| Full Text | PDF (242 K) |

13 September 2001 table of contents