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Chronic Activation of γ2 AMPK Induces Obesity and Reduces β Cell Function

  • Arash Yavari (Lead / Corresponding author)
  • , Claire J Stocker
  • , Sahar Ghaffari
  • , Edward T Wargent
  • , Violetta Steeples
  • , Gabor Czibik
  • , Katalin Pinter
  • , Mohamed Bellahcene
  • , Angela Woods
  • , Pablo B Martínez de Morentin
  • , Céline Cansell
  • , Brian Y H Lam
  • , André Chuster
  • , Kasparas Petkevicius
  • , Marie-Sophie Nguyen-Tu
  • , Aida Martinez-Sanchez
  • , Timothy J Pullen
  • , Peter L Oliver
  • , Alexander Stockenhuber
  • , Chinh Nguyen
  • Merzaka Lazdam, Jacqueline F O'Dowd, Parvathy Harikumar, Mónika Tóth, Craig Beall, Theodosios Kyriakou, Julia Parnis, Dhruv Sarma, George Katritsis, Diana D J Wortmann, Andrew R Harper, Laurence A Brown, Robin Willows, Silvia Gandra, Victor Poncio, Márcio J de Oliveira Figueiredo, Nathan R Qi, Stuart N Peirson, Rory McCrimmon, Balázs Gereben, László Tretter, Csaba Fekete, Charles Redwood, Giles S H Yeo, Lora K Heisler, Guy A Rutter, Mark A. Smith, Dominic J Withers, David Carling, Eduardo B Sternick, Jonathan R S Arch, Michael A Cawthorne, Hugh Watkins, Houman Ashrafian (Lead / Corresponding author)

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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    Abstract

    Despite significant advances in our understanding of the biology determining systemic energy homeostasis, the treatment of obesity remains a medical challenge. Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been proposed as an attractive strategy for the treatment of obesity and its complications. AMPK is a conserved, ubiquitously expressed, heterotrimeric serine/threonine kinase whose short-term activation has multiple beneficial metabolic effects. Whether these translate into long-term benefits for obesity and its complications is unknown. Here, we observe that mice with chronic AMPK activation, resulting from mutation of the AMPK γ2 subunit, exhibit ghrelin signaling-dependent hyperphagia, obesity, and impaired pancreatic islet insulin secretion. Humans bearing the homologous mutation manifest a congruent phenotype. Our studies highlight that long-term AMPK activation throughout all tissues can have adverse metabolic consequences, with implications for pharmacological strategies seeking to chronically activate AMPK systemically to treat metabolic disease.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)821-835
    Number of pages16
    JournalCell Metabolism
    Volume23
    Issue number5
    Early online date28 Apr 2016
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 10 May 2016

    UN SDGs

    This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

    1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
      SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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