Abstract
Glycerol kinase (GK) is at the interface of fat and carbohydrate metabolism and has been implicated in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. To define GK's role in insulin resistance, we examined gene expression in brown adipose tissue in a glycerol kinase knockout (KO) mouse model using microarray analysis. Global gene expression profiles of KO mice were distinct from wild type with 668 differentially expressed genes. These include genes involved in lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, insulin signaling, and insulin resistance. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed the differential expression of selected genes involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. PathwayAssist analysis confirmed direct and indirect connections between glycerol kinase and genes in lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, insulin signaling, and insulin resistance. Network component analysis (NCA) showed that the transcription factors (TFs) PPAR-γ, SREBP-1, SREBP-2, STAT3, STAT5, SP1, CEBPα, CREB, GR and PPAR-α have altered activity in the KO mice. NCA also revealed the individual contribution of these TFs on the expression of genes altered in the microarray data. This study elucidates the complex network of glycerol kinase and further confirms a possible role for glycerol kinase deficiency, a simple Mendelian disorder, in insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, a common complex genetic disorder.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Dr. Julian Martinez for helpful discussions and Dr WJ Craigen for the Gyk KO mice used to establish our colony. This work was supported by NIH Grants [DK60055 and GM067929].
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Rahib, L., MacLennan, N., Horvath, S. et al. Glycerol kinase deficiency alters expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and insulin signaling. Eur J Hum Genet 15, 646–657 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201801
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201801
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