Glucose promotes cell growth by suppressing branched-chain amino acid degradation

Nat Commun. 2018 Jul 26;9(1):2935. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-05362-7.

Abstract

Glucose and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are essential nutrients and key determinants of cell growth and stress responses. High BCAA level inhibits glucose metabolism but reciprocal regulation of BCAA metabolism by glucose has not been demonstrated. Here we show that glucose suppresses BCAA catabolism in cardiomyocytes to promote hypertrophic response. High glucose inhibits CREB stimulated KLF15 transcription resulting in downregulation of enzymes in the BCAA catabolism pathway. Accumulation of BCAA through the glucose-KLF15-BCAA degradation axis is required for the activation of mTOR signaling during the hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes. Restoration of KLF15 prevents cardiac hypertrophy in response to pressure overload in wildtype mice but not in mutant mice deficient of BCAA degradation gene. Thus, regulation of KLF15 transcription by glucose is critical for the glucose-BCAA circuit which controls a cascade of obligatory metabolic responses previously unrecognized for cell growth.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Computational Biology
  • Echocardiography
  • Glucose / pharmacology*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Amino Acids, Branched-Chain
  • Glucose