Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Unit of Pharmacology, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
Endocrine. 2012 Oct;42(2):292-8. doi: 10.1007/s12020-012-9732-x. Epub 2012 Jun 27.
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an enzyme functioning as a cellular sensor of low energy, stores and promotes adaptive changes in growth, differentiation, and metabolism. While AMPK is primarily thought of as a regulator of systemic metabolism, it has been clearly established that it also has a role in the regulation of cell growth and may be a therapeutic target for proliferative disorders. Growth hormone (GH) secretion from the anterior pituitary and GH-induced synthesis and release of insulin-like-growth-factor-1 (IGF-1) from the liver determine linear growth before puberty. Actually, GH and IGF-1 are potent growth factors affecting cell growth and differentiation in different tissues, and still have anabolic functions and serve as essential regulators of fuel metabolism in adulthood, as well. A variety of peripheral hormonal and metabolic signals regulate GH secretion either by acting directly on the anterior pituitary and/or modulating GH-releasing hormone or somatostatin release from the hypothalamus. Actually, intracellular transduction of endocrine and metabolic signals regulating somatotroph function is still debated. Based on the previously summarized contents, the aim of the present work has been to review currently available data suggesting a role of AMPK in the interplay between GH axis activity and metabolic functions.
腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶（AMPK）作为细胞能量感受器，能储存并促进生长、分化和代谢的适应性变化。虽然 AMPK 主要被认为是全身代谢的调节剂，但它在细胞生长的调节中也具有作用，并且可能是增殖性疾病的治疗靶点。青春期前，垂体前叶分泌的生长激素（GH）和 GH 诱导的肝脏胰岛素样生长因子-1（IGF-1）的合成和释放决定了线性生长。实际上，GH 和 IGF-1 是影响不同组织细胞生长和分化的有效生长因子，在成年期仍具有合成代谢功能，并作为燃料代谢的重要调节剂。各种外周激素和代谢信号通过直接作用于垂体前叶和/或调节下丘脑释放的生长激素释放激素或生长抑素来调节 GH 分泌。实际上，内分泌和代谢信号调节生长激素分泌的细胞内转导仍存在争议。基于之前总结的内容，本工作旨在综述目前可用的数据，这些数据表明 AMPK 在 GH 轴活性和代谢功能之间的相互作用中具有作用。
