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The P446L variant in GCKR associated with fasting plasma glucose and triglyceride levels exerts its effect through increased glucokinase activity in liver

Beer, Nicola L. ; Tribble, Nicholas D. ; McCulloch, Laura J. ; Roos, Charlotta LU ; Johnson, Paul R. V. ; Orho-Melander, Marju LU and Gloyn, Anna L. (2009) In Human Molecular Genetics 18(21). p.4081-4088
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have identified a number of signals for both Type 2 Diabetes and related quantitative traits. For the majority of loci, the transition from association signal to mutational mechanism has been difficult to establish. Glucokinase (GCK) regulates glucose storage and disposal in the liver where its activity is regulated by glucokinase regulatory protein (GKRP; gene name GCKR). Fructose-6 and fructose-1 phosphate (F6P and F1P) enhance or reduce GKRP-mediated inhibition, respectively. A common GCKR variant (P446L) is reproducibly associated with triglyceride and fasting plasma glucose levels in the general population. The aim of this study was to determine the mutational mechanism responsible for this genetic... (More)
Genome-wide association studies have identified a number of signals for both Type 2 Diabetes and related quantitative traits. For the majority of loci, the transition from association signal to mutational mechanism has been difficult to establish. Glucokinase (GCK) regulates glucose storage and disposal in the liver where its activity is regulated by glucokinase regulatory protein (GKRP; gene name GCKR). Fructose-6 and fructose-1 phosphate (F6P and F1P) enhance or reduce GKRP-mediated inhibition, respectively. A common GCKR variant (P446L) is reproducibly associated with triglyceride and fasting plasma glucose levels in the general population. The aim of this study was to determine the mutational mechanism responsible for this genetic association. Recombinant human GCK and both human wild-type (WT) and P446L-GKRP proteins were generated. GCK kinetic activity was observed spectrophotometrically using an NADP(+)-coupled assay. WT and P446L-GKRP-mediated inhibition of GCK activity and subsequent regulation by phosphate esters were determined. Assays matched for GKRP activity demonstrated no difference in dose-dependent inhibition of GCK activity or F1P-mediated regulation. However, the response to physiologically relevant F6P levels was significantly attenuated with P446L-GKRP (n = 18; P < 0.03). Experiments using equimolar concentrations of both regulatory proteins confirmed these findings (n = 9; P < 0.001). In conclusion, P446L-GKRP has reduced regulation by physiological concentrations of F6P, resulting indirectly in increased GCK activity. Altered GCK regulation in liver is predicted to enhance glycolytic flux, promoting hepatic glucose metabolism and elevating concentrations of malonyl-CoA, a substrate for de novo lipogenesis, providing a mutational mechanism for the reported association of this variant with raised triglycerides and lower glucose levels. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Human Molecular Genetics
volume
18
issue
21
pages
4081 - 4088
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000270708300007
  • scopus:70349980881
ISSN
0964-6906
DOI
10.1093/hmg/ddp357
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
885b060f-2285-4fbc-84b9-fdce6efe7e69 (old id 1507392)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:03:33
date last changed
2024-05-07 03:12:39
@article{885b060f-2285-4fbc-84b9-fdce6efe7e69,
  abstract     = {{Genome-wide association studies have identified a number of signals for both Type 2 Diabetes and related quantitative traits. For the majority of loci, the transition from association signal to mutational mechanism has been difficult to establish. Glucokinase (GCK) regulates glucose storage and disposal in the liver where its activity is regulated by glucokinase regulatory protein (GKRP; gene name GCKR). Fructose-6 and fructose-1 phosphate (F6P and F1P) enhance or reduce GKRP-mediated inhibition, respectively. A common GCKR variant (P446L) is reproducibly associated with triglyceride and fasting plasma glucose levels in the general population. The aim of this study was to determine the mutational mechanism responsible for this genetic association. Recombinant human GCK and both human wild-type (WT) and P446L-GKRP proteins were generated. GCK kinetic activity was observed spectrophotometrically using an NADP(+)-coupled assay. WT and P446L-GKRP-mediated inhibition of GCK activity and subsequent regulation by phosphate esters were determined. Assays matched for GKRP activity demonstrated no difference in dose-dependent inhibition of GCK activity or F1P-mediated regulation. However, the response to physiologically relevant F6P levels was significantly attenuated with P446L-GKRP (n = 18; P &lt; 0.03). Experiments using equimolar concentrations of both regulatory proteins confirmed these findings (n = 9; P &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, P446L-GKRP has reduced regulation by physiological concentrations of F6P, resulting indirectly in increased GCK activity. Altered GCK regulation in liver is predicted to enhance glycolytic flux, promoting hepatic glucose metabolism and elevating concentrations of malonyl-CoA, a substrate for de novo lipogenesis, providing a mutational mechanism for the reported association of this variant with raised triglycerides and lower glucose levels.}},
  author       = {{Beer, Nicola L. and Tribble, Nicholas D. and McCulloch, Laura J. and Roos, Charlotta and Johnson, Paul R. V. and Orho-Melander, Marju and Gloyn, Anna L.}},
  issn         = {{0964-6906}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{21}},
  pages        = {{4081--4088}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Human Molecular Genetics}},
  title        = {{The P446L variant in GCKR associated with fasting plasma glucose and triglyceride levels exerts its effect through increased glucokinase activity in liver}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddp357}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/hmg/ddp357}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}