Seasonal, tissue-specific regulation of Akt/protein kinase B and glycogen synthase in hibernators.

Yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) exhibit a circannual cycle of hyperphagia and nutrient storage in the summer followed by hibernation in the winter. This annual cycle of body mass gain and loss is primarily due to large-scale accumulation of lipid in the summer, which is then mobilized and oxidized for energy during winter. The rapid and predictable change in body mass makes these animals ideal for studies investigating the molecular basis for body weight regulation. In the study described herein, we monitored seasonal changes in the protein levels and activity of a central regulator of anabolic metabolism, the serine-threonine kinase Akt-protein kinase B (Akt/PKB), during the months accompanying maximal weight gain and entry into hibernation (June-November). Interestingly, under fasting conditions, Akt/PKB demonstrated a tissue-specific seasonal activation. Specifically, although Akt/PKB levels did not change, the activity of Akt/PKB (isoforms 1/alpha and 2/beta) in white adipose tissue (WAT) increased significantly in July. Moreover, glycogen synthase, which lies downstream of Akt/PKB on a linear pathway linking the enzyme to the stimulation of glycogen synthesis, demonstrated a similar pattern of seasonal activation. By contrast, Akt/PKB activity in skeletal muscle peaked much later (i.e., September). These data suggest the existence of a novel, tissue-specific mechanism regulating Akt/PKB activation during periods of marked anabolism.