AMPK is indispensable for overload‐induced muscle glucose uptake and glycogenesis but dispensable for inducing hypertrophy in mice

Abstract

Chronic muscle loading (overload) induces skeletal muscles to undergo hypertrophy and to increase glucose uptake. Although AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) reportedly serves as a negative regulator of hypertrophy and a positive regulator of glucose uptake, its role in overload‐induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy and glucose uptake is unclear. This study aimed to determine whether AMPK regulates overload‐induced hypertrophy and glucose uptake in skeletal muscles. To this end, skeletal muscle overload was induced through unilateral synergist ablations in wild‐type (WT) and transgenic mice, expressing the dominant‐negative mutation of AMPK (AMPK‐DN). After 14 days, parameters, including muscle fiber cross‐sectional area (CSA), glycogen level, and in vivo [3H]‐2‐deoxy‐D‐glucose uptake, were assessed. No significant difference was observed in body weight or blood glucose level between the WT and AMPK‐DN mice. However, the 14‐day muscle overload activated the AMPK pathway in WT mice skeletal muscle, whereas this response was impaired in the AMPK‐DN mice. Despite a normal CSA gain in each fiber type, the AMPK‐DN mice demonstrated a significant impairment of overload‐induced muscle glucose uptake and glycogenesis, compared to WT mice. Moreover, 14‐day overload‐induced changes in GLUT4 and HKII expression levels were reduced in AMPK‐DN mice, compared to WT mice. This study demonstrated that AMPK activation is indispensable for overload‐induced muscle glucose uptake and glycogenesis; however, it is dispensable for the induction of hypertrophy in AMPK‐DN mice. Furthermore, the AMPK/GLUT4 and HKII axes may regulate overload‐induced muscle glucose uptake and glycogenesis.