Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Sci. STKE, 1 August 2006
Vol. 2006, Issue 346, p. re7
[DOI: 10.1126/stke.3462006re7]

REVIEWS

Role of Insulin, Adipocyte Hormones, and Nutrient-Sensing Pathways in Regulating Fuel Metabolism and Energy Homeostasis: A Nutritional Perspective of Diabetes, Obesity, and Cancer

Stephen Marshall*

Hexos Inc., 18304 NE 153rd Street, Woodinville, WA 98072, USA.

Abstract: Traditionally, nutrients such as glucose and amino acids have been viewed as substrates for the generation of high-energy molecules and as precursors for the biosynthesis of macromolecules. However, it is now apparent that nutrients also function as signaling molecules in functionally diverse signal transduction pathways. Glucose and amino acids trigger signaling cascades that regulate various aspects of fuel and energy metabolism and control the growth, proliferation, and survival of cells. Here, we provide a functional and regulatory overview of three well-established nutrient signaling pathways—the hexosamine signaling pathway, the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling pathway, and the adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. Nutrient signaling pathways are interconnected, coupled to insulin signaling, and linked to the release of metabolic hormones from adipose tissue. Thus, nutrient signaling pathways do not function in isolation. Rather, they appear to serve as components of a larger "metabolic regulatory network" that controls fuel and energy metabolism (at the cell, tissue, and whole-body levels) and links nutrient availability with cell growth and proliferation. Understanding the diverse roles of nutrients and delineating nutrient signaling pathways should facilitate drug discovery research and the search for novel therapeutic compounds to prevent and treat various human diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer.

*Corresponding author. E-mail, hexos06{at}comcast.net

Citation: S. Marshall, Role of Insulin, Adipocyte Hormones, and Nutrient-Sensing Pathways in Regulating Fuel Metabolism and Energy Homeostasis: A Nutritional Perspective of Diabetes, Obesity, and Cancer. Sci. STKE 2006, re7 (2006).

Read the Full Text

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Lipid-induced mTOR activation in rat skeletal muscle reversed by exercise and 5'-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-{beta}-D-ribofuranoside.
D. A Rivas, B. B Yaspelkis III, J. A Hawley, and S. J Lessard (2009)
J. Endocrinol. 202, 441-451
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylates glutamine : fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase 1 at Ser243 to modulate its enzymatic activity..
S. Eguchi, N. Oshiro, T. Miyamoto, K.-i. Yoshino, S. Okamoto, T. Ono, U. Kikkawa, and K. Yonezawa (2009)
Genes Cells 14, 179-189
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mechanism and Management of AKT Inhibitor-Induced Hyperglycemia.
M.-C. Crouthamel, J. A. Kahana, S. Korenchuk, S.-Y. Zhang, G. Sundaresan, D. J. Eberwein, K. K. Brown, and R. Kumar (2009)
Clin. Cancer Res. 15, 217-225
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
ATP Citrate Lyase: Activation and Therapeutic Implications in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
T. Migita, T. Narita, K. Nomura, E. Miyagi, F. Inazuka, M. Matsuura, M. Ushijima, T. Mashima, H. Seimiya, Y. Satoh, et al. (2008)
Cancer Res. 68, 8547-8554
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Neural Systems Controlling the Drive to Eat: Mind Versus Metabolism.
H. Zheng and H.-R. Berthoud (2008)
Physiology 23, 75-83
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Hepatic Glucose Sensing via the CREB Coactivator CRTC2.
R. Dentin, S. Hedrick, J. Xie, J. Yates III, and M. Montminy (2008)
Science 319, 1402-1405
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
PAS kinase is required for normal cellular energy balance.
H.-X. Hao, C. M. Cardon, W. Swiatek, R. C. Cooksey, T. L. Smith, J. Wilde, S. Boudina, E. D. Abel, D. A. McClain, and J. Rutter (2007)
PNAS 104, 15466-15471
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Proteomics Analysis of Insulin Secretory Granules.
Y. Brunner, Y. Coute, M. Iezzi, M. Foti, M. Fukuda, D. F. Hochstrasser, C. B. Wollheim, and J.-C. Sanchez (2007)
Mol. Cell. Proteomics 6, 1007-1017
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Non-human primate fetal kidney transcriptome analysis indicates mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central nutrient-responsive pathway.
M. J. Nijland, N. E. Schlabritz-Loutsevitch, G. B. Hubbard, P. W. Nathanielsz, and L. A. Cox (2007)
J. Physiol. 579, 643-656
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »

To Advertise     Find Products

Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882