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. 2010 Nov;6(4):337-42.
doi: 10.2174/157340310793566073.

AMPK - Activated Protein Kinase and its Role in Energy Metabolism of the Heart

Florian Heidrich  1 , Hanna Schotola, Aron F Popov, Christian Sohns, Julia Schuenemann, Martin Friedrich, Kasim O Coskun, Dirk von Lewinski, Jose Hinz, Martin Bauer, Suyog A Mokashi, Samuel Sossalla, Jan D Schmitto
Affiliations

AMPK - Activated Protein Kinase and its Role in Energy Metabolism of the Heart

Florian Heidrich et al. Curr Cardiol Rev. 2010 Nov.

Abstract

Adenosine monophosphate - activated kinase (AMPK) plays a key role in the coordination of the heart's anabolic and catabolic pathways. It induces a cellular cascade at the center of maintaining energy homeostasis in the cardiomyocytes.. The activated AMPK is a heterotrimeric protein, separated into a catalytic α - subunit (63kDa), a regulating β - subunit (38kDa) and a γ - subunit (38kDa), which is allosterically adjusted by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP). The actual binding of AMP to the γ - subunit is the step which activates AMPK. AMPK serves also as a protein kinase in several metabolic pathways of the heart, including cellular energy sensoring or cardiovascular protection. The AMPK cascade represents a sensitive system, activated by cellular stresses that deplete ATP and acts as an indicator of intracellular ATP/AMP. In the context of cellular stressors (i.e. hypoxia, pressure overload, hypertrophy or ATP deficiency) the increasing levels of AMP promote allosteric activation and phosphorylation of AMPK. As the concentration of AMP begins to increase, ATP competitively inhibits further phosphorylation of AMPK. The increase of AMP may also be induced either from an iatrogenic emboli, percutaneous coronary intervention, or from atherosclerotic plaque rupture leading to an ischemia in the microcirculation. To modulate energy metabolism by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation is vital in terms of ATP usage, maintaining transmembrane transporters and preserving membrane potential. In this article, we review AMPK and its role as an important regulatory enzyme during periods of myocardial stress, regulating energy metabolism, protein synthesis and cardiovascular protection.

Keywords: AMPK; Adenosine monophosphate - activated protein kinase; cardiac energy metabolism.; heart failure.

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Figures

Fig. (1)
Fig. (1)
Schematic conformational change of AMPK during alteration of ATP/AMP-quotient enhance threonine172 phosphorylation.
Fig. (2)
Fig. (2)
Fat acid metabolism. ACC

 Acetyl-CoA carboxylase

FAPBpm

 Fatty acid binding protein

FAT/CD36

 Fatty acid transporter (CD36)

Fig. (3)
Fig. (3)
Carbohydrate metabolism HK

 Hexokinase

PFK

 Phospofructokinase

PK

 Pyruvatkinase

GLUT

 Glucosetransporter

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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