Effects of thyroid state on AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase expression in muscle
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) consists of three subunits: α, β, and γ. Two isoforms exist for the α-subunit (α1 and α2), two for the β-subunit (β1 and β2), and three for the γ-subunit (γ1, γ2, and γ3). Although the specific roles of the β- and γ-subunits are not well understood, the α-subunit isoforms contain the catalytic site and also the phosphorylation/activation site for the upstream kinase. This study was designed to determine the role of thyroid hormones in controlling expression levels of these AMPK subunits and of one downstream target, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), in muscle. AMPK subunit and ACC levels were determined by Western blots in control rats, in rats given 0.01% propylthiouracil (PTU) in drinking water for 3 wk, and in rats given 3 mg of thyroxine and 1 mg of triiodothyronine per kilogram chow for 1 or 3 wk. In gastrocnemius muscle, all isoforms of AMPK subunits were significantly increased in rats given thyroid hormones for 3 wk vs. those treated with PTU. Similar patterns were seen in individual muscle types. Expression of muscle ACC was also significantly increased in response to 3 wk of treatment with excess thyroid hormones. Muscle content of malonyl-CoA was elevated in PTU-treated rats and depressed in thyroid hormone-treated rats. These data provide evidence that skeletal muscle AMPK subunit and ACC expression is partially under the control of thyroid hormones.