Akt activation protects liver cells from apoptosis in rats during acute cold exposure

Accidental deaths due to exposure to extremely low natural temperature happen every winter. Exposure to extreme cold causes injury of multiple organs. However, early responses of the bodies to acute extreme cold exposure remain incompletely understood. In this study, we found that hepatic glycogen w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of biological sciences 2013-01, Vol.9 (5), p.509-517
Main Authors: Wang, Jiye, Chen, Yaoming, Zhang, Wenbin, Zheng, Gang, Meng, Shanshan, Che, Honglei, Ke, Tao, Yang, Jingrun, Chen, Jingyuan, Luo, Wenjing
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism
Androstadienes - administration & dosage
Androstadienes - pharmacology
Animals
Apoptosis - physiology
Blotting, Western
Cold Temperature
DNA Primers - genetics
Energy Metabolism - physiology
Enzyme Activation - physiology
Glycogen - metabolism
In Situ Nick-End Labeling
Injections, Intraperitoneal
Liver - cytology
Liver - metabolism
Male
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - antagonists & inhibitors
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - metabolism
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
Research Paper
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Stress, Physiological - physiology
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Summary:Accidental deaths due to exposure to extremely low natural temperature happen every winter. Exposure to extreme cold causes injury of multiple organs. However, early responses of the bodies to acute extreme cold exposure remain incompletely understood. In this study, we found that hepatic glycogen was rapidly reduced in rats exposed to -15°C, and the key enzymes required for glycogenesis were upregulated in the livers of the cold-exposed rats. In line with the rapid consumption of glycogen, acute cold exposure induced a transient elevation of cellular ATP level, which lasted about one hour. The ATP level went back to basal level after two hours of cold exposure. Four hours of cold exposure resulted in cellular ATP depletion and cell apoptosis. The dynamic change of cellular ATP levels was well associated with Akt activation in cold-exposed liver cells. The activation of Akt was required for cold exposure-induced ATP elevation. Blockade of Akt activation diminished the transient increase of intracellular ATP content and exacerbated cell apoptosis during acute cold exposure. These results suggest that Akt activation plays a pivotal role in maintaining cellular bioenergy balance and promoting liver cell survival during acute cold exposure.
ISSN:1449-2288
1449-2288
DOI:10.7150/ijbs.5220