TY - JOUR
T1 - Insulin stimulates mitochondrial fusion and function in cardiomyocytes via the AktmTOR-NFkB-Opa-1 signaling pathway
AU - Parra, Valentina
AU - Verdejo, Hugo E.
AU - Iglewski, Myriam
AU - Del Campo, Andrea
AU - Troncoso, Rodrigo
AU - Jones, Deborah
AU - Zhu, Yi
AU - Kuzmicic, Jovan
AU - Pennanen, Christian
AU - Lopez-Crisosto, Camila
AU - Jaña, Fabián
AU - Ferreira, Jorge
AU - Noguera, Eduard
AU - Chiong, Mario
AU - Bernlohr, David A.
AU - Klip, Amira
AU - Hill, Joseph A
AU - Rothermel, Beverly A
AU - Abel, Evan Dale
AU - Zorzano, Antonio
AU - Lavandero, Sergio
PY - 2014/1
Y1 - 2014/1
N2 - Insulin regulates heart metabolism through the regulation of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Studies have indicated that insulin can also regulate mitochondrial function. Relevant to this idea, mitochondrial function is impaired in diabetic individuals. Furthermore, the expression of Opa-1 and mitofusins, proteins of the mitochondrial fusion machinery, is dramatically altered in obese and insulin-resistant patients. Given the role of insulin in the control of cardiac energetics, the goal of this study was to investigate whether insulin affects mitochondrial dynamics in cardiomyocytes. Confocal microscopy and the mitochondrial dye MitoTracker Green were used to obtain three-dimensional images of the mitochondrial network in cardiomyocytes and L6 skeletal muscle cells in culture. Three hours of insulin treatment increased Opa-1 protein levels, promoted mitochondrial fusion, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, and elevated both intracellular ATP levels and oxygen consumption in cardiomyocytes in vitro and in vivo. Consequently, the silencing of Opa-1 or Mfn2 prevented all the metabolic effects triggered by insulin. We also provide evidence indicating that insulin increases mitochondrial function in cardiomyocytes through the Akt-mTOR-NFkB signaling pathway. These data demonstrate for the first time in our knowledge that insulin acutely regulates mitochondrial metabolism in cardiomyocytes through a mechanism that depends on increased mitochondrial fusion, Opa-1, and the Akt-mTOR-NFkB pathway.
AB - Insulin regulates heart metabolism through the regulation of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Studies have indicated that insulin can also regulate mitochondrial function. Relevant to this idea, mitochondrial function is impaired in diabetic individuals. Furthermore, the expression of Opa-1 and mitofusins, proteins of the mitochondrial fusion machinery, is dramatically altered in obese and insulin-resistant patients. Given the role of insulin in the control of cardiac energetics, the goal of this study was to investigate whether insulin affects mitochondrial dynamics in cardiomyocytes. Confocal microscopy and the mitochondrial dye MitoTracker Green were used to obtain three-dimensional images of the mitochondrial network in cardiomyocytes and L6 skeletal muscle cells in culture. Three hours of insulin treatment increased Opa-1 protein levels, promoted mitochondrial fusion, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, and elevated both intracellular ATP levels and oxygen consumption in cardiomyocytes in vitro and in vivo. Consequently, the silencing of Opa-1 or Mfn2 prevented all the metabolic effects triggered by insulin. We also provide evidence indicating that insulin increases mitochondrial function in cardiomyocytes through the Akt-mTOR-NFkB signaling pathway. These data demonstrate for the first time in our knowledge that insulin acutely regulates mitochondrial metabolism in cardiomyocytes through a mechanism that depends on increased mitochondrial fusion, Opa-1, and the Akt-mTOR-NFkB pathway.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84891801047&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84891801047&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2337/db13-0340
DO - 10.2337/db13-0340
M3 - Article
C2 - 24009260
AN - SCOPUS:84891801047
SN - 0012-1797
VL - 63
SP - 75
EP - 88
JO - Diabetes
JF - Diabetes
IS - 1
ER -