Abstract
Homeostatic mechanisms in mammals respond to hormones and nutrients to maintain blood glucose levels within a narrow range. Caloric restriction causes many changes in glucose metabolism and extends lifespan; however, how this metabolism is connected to the ageing process is largely unknown. We show here that the Sir2 homologue, SIRT1-which modulates ageing in several species-controls the gluconeogenic/glycolytic pathways in liver in response to fasting signals through the transcriptional coactivator PGC-1α. A nutrient signalling response that is mediated by pyruvate induces SIRT1 protein in liver during fasting. We find that once SIRT1 is induced, it interacts with and deacetylates PGC-1α at specific lysine residues in an NAD +-dependent manner. SIRT1 induces gluconeogenic genes and hepatic glucose output through PGC-1α, but does not regulate the effects of PGC-1α on mitochondrial genes. In addition, SIRT1 modulates the effects of PGC-1α repression of glycolytic genes in response to fasting and pyruvate. Thus, we have identified a molecular mechanism whereby SIRT1 functions in glucose homeostasis as a modulator of PGC-1α. These findings have strong implications for the basic pathways of energy homeostasis, diabetes and lifespan.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 113-118 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Nature |
Volume | 434 |
Issue number | 7029 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 3 2005 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General