Jun Nakae

The forkhead transcription factor Foxo1 links insulin signaling to Pdx1 regulation of pancreatic β cell growth

Diabetes is caused by an absolute (type 1) or relative (type 2) deficiency of insulin-producing beta cells. The mechanisms governing replication of terminally differentiated beta cells and neogenesis from progenitor cells are unclear. Mice lacking insulin receptor substrate-2 (Irs2) develop beta cell failure, suggesting that insulin signaling is required to maintain an adequate beta cell mass. We report that haploinsufficiency for the forkhead transcription factor Foxo1 reverses beta cell failure in Irs2(-/-) mice through partial restoration of beta cell proliferation and increased expression of the pancreatic transcription factor pancreas/duodenum homeobox gene-1 (Pdx1). Foxo1 and Pdx1 exhibit mutually exclusive patterns of nuclear localization in beta cells, and constitutive nuclear expression of a mutant Foxo1 is associated with lack of Pdx1 expression. We show that Foxo1 acts as a repressor of Foxa2-dependent (Hnf-3beta-dependent) expression from the Pdx1 promoter. We propose that insulin/IGFs regulate beta cell proliferation by relieving Foxo1 inhibition of Pdx1 expression in a subset of cells embedded within pancreatic ducts.

The forkhead transcription factor Foxo1 (Fkhr) confers insulin sensitivity onto glucose-6-phosphatase expression

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by the inability of insulin to suppress glucose production in the liver and kidney. Insulin inhibits glucose production by indirect and direct mechanisms. The latter result in transcriptional suppression of key gluconeogenetic and glycogenolytic enzymes, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Pepck) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6p). The transcription factors required for this effect are incompletely characterized. We report that in glucogenetic kidney epithelial cells, Pepck and G6p expression are induced by dexamethasone (dex) and cAMP, but fail to be inhibited by insulin. The inability to respond to insulin is associated with reduced expression of the forkhead transcription factor Foxo1, a substrate of the Akt kinase that is inhibited by insulin through phosphorylation. Transduction of kidney cells with recombinant adenovirus encoding Foxo1 results in insulin inhibition of dex/cAMP-induced G6p expression. Moreover, expression of dominant negative Foxo1 mutant results in partial inhibition of dex/cAMP-induced G6p and Pepck expression in primary cultures of mouse hepatocyes and kidney LLC-PK1-FBPase(+) cells. These findings are consistent with the possibility that Foxo1 is involved in insulin regulation of glucose production by mediating the ability of insulin to decrease the glucocorticoid/cAMP response of G6p.

Deacetylation of FoxO by Sirt1 Plays an Essential Role in Mediating Starvation-Induced Autophagy in Cardiac Myocytes

Rationale: Autophagy, a bulk degradation process of cytosolic proteins and organelles, is protective during nutrient starvation in cardiomyocytes (CMs). However, the underlying signaling mechanism mediating autophagy is not well understood. Objective: We investigated the role of FoxOs and its posttranslational modification in mediating starvation-induced autophagy. Methods and Results: Glucose deprivation (GD) increased autophagic flux in cultured CMs, as evidenced by increased mRFP-GFP-LC3 puncta and decreases in p62, which was accompanied by upregulation of Sirt1 and FoxO1. Overexpression of either Sirt1 or FoxO1 was sufficient for inducing autophagic flux, whereas both Sirt1 and FoxO1 were required for GD-induced autophagy. GD increased deacetylation of FoxO1, and Sirt1 was required for GD-induced deacetylation of FoxO1. Overexpression of FoxO1(3A/LXXAA), which cannot interact with Sirt1, or p300, a histone acetylase, increased acetylation of FoxO1 and inhibited GD-induced autophagy. FoxO1 increased expression of Rab7, a small GTP-binding protein that mediates late autophagosome–lysosome fusion, which was both necessary and sufficient for mediating FoxO1-induced increases in autophagic flux. Although cardiac function was maintained in control mice after 48 hours of food starvation, it was significantly deteriorated in mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of FoxO1(3A/LXXAA), those with cardiac-specific homozygous deletion of FoxO1 (c-FoxO1−/−), and beclin1+/− mice, in which autophagy is significantly inhibited. Conclusions: These results suggest that Sirt1-mediated deacetylation of FoxO1 and upregulation of Rab7 play an important role in mediating starvation-induced increases in autophagic flux, which in turn plays an essential role in maintaining left ventricular function during starvation.

Crosstalk between Glucocorticoid Receptor and Nutritional Sensor mTOR in Skeletal Muscle

Maintenance of skeletal muscle mass relies on the dynamic balance between anabolic and catabolic processes and is important for motility, systemic energy homeostasis, and viability. We identified direct target genes of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in skeletal muscle, i.e., REDD1 and KLF15. As well as REDD1, KLF15 inhibits mTOR activity, but via a distinct mechanism involving BCAT2 gene activation. Moreover, KLF15 upregulates the expression of the E3 ubiquitin ligases atrogin-1 and MuRF1 genes and negatively modulates myofiber size. Thus, GR is a liaison involving a variety of downstream molecular cascades toward muscle atrophy. Notably, mTOR activation inhibits GR transcription function and efficiently counteracts the catabolic processes provoked by glucocorticoids. This mutually exclusive crosstalk between GR and mTOR, a highly coordinated interaction between the catabolic hormone signal and the anabolic machinery, may be a rational mechanism for fine-tuning of muscle volume and a potential therapeutic target for muscle wasting.

Regulation of insulin-like growth factor–dependent myoblast differentiation by Foxo forkhead transcription factors

Insulin-like growth factors promote myoblast differentiation through phosphoinositol 3-kinase and Akt signaling. Akt substrates required for myogenic differentiation are unknown. Forkhead transcription factors of the forkhead box gene, group O (Foxo) subfamily are phosphorylated in an insulin-responsive manner by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase–dependent kinases. Phosphorylation leads to nuclear exclusion and inactivation. We show that a constitutively active Foxo1 mutant inhibits differentiation of C2C12 cells and prevents myotube differentiation induced by constitutively active Akt. In contrast, a transcriptionally inactive mutant Foxo1 partially rescues inhibition of C2C12 differentiation mediated by wortmannin, but not by rapamycin, and is able to induce aggregation-independent myogenic conversion of teratocarcinoma cells. Inhibition of Foxo expression by siRNA resulted in more efficient differentiation, associated with increased myosin expression. These observations indicate that Foxo proteins are key effectors of Akt-dependent myogenesis.

Defective insulin secretion in pancreatic β cells lacking type 1 IGF receptor

Defective insulin secretion is a feature of type 2 diabetes that results from inadequate compensatory increase of beta cell mass and impaired glucose-dependent insulin release. beta cell proliferation and secretion are thought to be regulated by signaling through receptor tyrosine kinases. In this regard, we sought to examine the potential proliferative and/or antiapoptotic role of IGFs in beta cells by tissue-specific conditional mutagenesis ablating type 1 IGF receptor (IGF1R) signaling. Unexpectedly, lack of functional IGF1R did not affect beta cell mass, but resulted in age-dependent impairment of glucose tolerance, associated with a decrease of glucose- and arginine-dependent insulin release. These observations reveal a requirement of IGF1R-mediated signaling for insulin secretion.

The FoxO transcription factors and metabolic regulation

Forkhead transcription factors FoxOs are conserved beyond species and regulated by insulin signaling pathway. FoxOs have diverse functions on differentiation, proliferation and cell survival. In calorie restriction (CR) or starvation, FoxOs are in nucleus, active transcriptionally, and increase hepatic glucose production, decrease insulin secretion, increase food intake and cause degradation of skeletal muscle for supplying substrates for glucose production. However, even in insulin resistance due to excessive calorie intake, FoxOs are active and causes type 2 diabetes and hyperlipidemia. The understanding of molecular mechanism how FoxOs affect glucose or lipid metabolism will shed light on the novel therapy of type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome.

Forkhead Transcription Factor FoxO1 in Adipose Tissue Regulates Energy Storage and Expenditure

OBJECTIVE—Adipose tissue serves as an integrator of various physiological pathways, energy balance, and glucose homeostasis. Forkhead box–containing protein O subfamily (FoxO) 1 mediates insulin action at the transcriptional level. However, physiological roles of FoxO1 in adipose tissue remain unclear. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—In the present study, we generated adipose tissue–specific FoxO1 transgenic mice (adipocyte protein 2 [aP2]-FLAG-Δ256) using an aP2 promoter/enhancer and a mutant FoxO1 (FLAGΔ256) in which the carboxyl terminal transactivation domain was deleted. Using these mice, we analyzed the effects of the overexpression of FLAGΔ256 on glucose metabolism and energy homeostasis. RESULTS—The aP2-FLAG-Δ256 mice showed improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity accompanied with smaller-sized adipocytes and increased adiponectin (adipoq) and Glut 4 (Slc2a4) and decreased tumor necrosis factor α (Tnf) and chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 (Ccr2) gene expression levels in white adipose tissue (WAT) under a high-fat diet. Furthermore, the aP2-FLAG-Δ256 mice had increased oxygen consumption accompanied with increased expression of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ coactivator (PGC)-1α protein and uncoupling protein (UCP)-1 (Ucp1), UCP-2 (Ucp2), and β3-AR (Adrb3) in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Overexpression of FLAGΔ256 in T37i cells, which are derived from the hibernoma of SV40 large T antigen transgenic mice, increased expression of PGC-1α protein and Ucp1. Furthermore, knockdown of endogenous FoxO1 in T37i cells increased Pgc1α (Ppargc1a), Pgc1β (Ppargc1b), Ucp1, and Adrb3 gene expression. CONCLUSIONS—These data suggest that FoxO1 modulates energy homeostasis in WAT and BAT through regulation of adipocyte size and adipose tissue–specific gene expression in response to excessive calorie intake.

The LXXLL motif of murine forkhead transcription factor FoxO1 mediates Sirt1-dependent transcriptional activity

The forkhead transcription factor FoxO1 has been identified as a negative regulator of insulin/IGF-1 signaling. Its function is inhibited by phosphorylation and nuclear exclusion through a PI3K-dependent pathway. However, the structure/function relationship of FoxO1 has not been elucidated completely. In this study, we carried out mutation analysis of the FoxO1 coactivator-interacting LXXLL motif (amino acids 459-463). Expression of a 3A/LXXAA mutant, in which 3 Akt phosphorylation sites (T24, S253, and S316) and 2 leucine residues in the LXXLL motif (L462 and L463) were replaced by alanine, decreased both Igfbp-1 and G6Pase promoter activity and endogenous Igfbp-1 and G6Pase gene expression in simian virus 40-transformed (SV40-transformed) hepatocytes. Importantly, mutagenesis of the LXXLL motif eliminated FoxO1 interaction with the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent (NAD-dependent) deacetylase sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), sustained the acetylated state of FoxO1, and made FoxO1 nicotinamide and resveratrol insensitive, supporting a role for this motif in Sirt1 binding. Furthermore, intravenous administration of adenovirus encoding 3A/LXXAA FoxO1 into Lepr db/db mice decreased fasting blood glucose levels and improved glucose tolerance and was accompanied by reduced G6Pase and Igfbp-1 gene expression and increased hepatic glycogen content. In conclusion, the LXXLL motif of FoxO1 may have an important role for its transcriptional activity and Sirt1 binding and should be a target site for regulation of gene expression of FoxO1 target genes and glucose metabolism in vivo.

PDK-1/FoxO1 pathway in POMC neurons regulates Pomc expression and food intake

Both insulin and leptin signaling converge on phosphatidylinositol 3-OH kinase [PI(3)K]/3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK-1)/protein kinase B (PKB, also known as Akt) in proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons. Forkhead box-containing protein-O1 (FoxO1) is inactivated in a PI(3)K-dependent manner. However, the interrelationship between PI(3)K/PDK-1/Akt and FoxO1, and the chronic effects of the overexpression of FoxO1 in POMC neurons on energy homeostasis has not been elucidated. To determine the extent to which PDK-1 and FoxO1 signaling in POMC neurons was responsible for energy homeostasis, we generated POMC neuron-specific Pdk1 knockout mice (POMCPdk1(-/-)) and mice selectively expressing a constitutively nuclear (CN)FoxO1 or transactivation-defective (Delta256)FoxO1 in POMC neurons (CNFoxO1(POMC) or Delta256FoxO1(POMC)). POMCPdk1(-/-) mice showed increased food intake and body weight accompanied by decreased expression of Pomc gene. The CNFoxO1(POMC) mice exhibited mild obesity and hyperphagia compared with POMCPdk1(-/-) mice. Although expression of the CNFoxO1 made POMCPdk1(-/-) mice more obese due to excessive suppression of Pomc gene, overexpression of Delta256FoxO1 in POMC neurons had no effects on metabolic phenotypes and Pomc expression levels of POMCPdk1(-/-) mice. These data suggest a requirement for PDK-1 and FoxO1 in transcriptional regulation of Pomc and food intake.