Glucose sensing by MondoA: Mlx complexes: a role for hexokinases and direct regulation of thioredoxin-interacting protein expression

CA Stoltzman, CW Peterson… - Proceedings of the …, 2008 - National Acad Sciences
CA Stoltzman, CW Peterson, KT Breen, DM Muoio, AN Billin, DE Ayer
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2008National Acad Sciences
Glucose is a fundamental metabolite, yet how cells sense and respond to changes in
extracellular glucose concentration is not completely understood. We recently reported that
the MondoA: Mlx dimeric transcription factor directly regulates glycolysis. In this article, we
consider whether MondoA: Mlx complexes have a broader role in sensing and responding
to glucose status. In their latent state, MondoA: Mlx complexes localize to the outer
mitochondrial membrane, yet shuttle between the mitochondria and the nucleus. We show …
Glucose is a fundamental metabolite, yet how cells sense and respond to changes in extracellular glucose concentration is not completely understood. We recently reported that the MondoA:Mlx dimeric transcription factor directly regulates glycolysis. In this article, we consider whether MondoA:Mlx complexes have a broader role in sensing and responding to glucose status. In their latent state, MondoA:Mlx complexes localize to the outer mitochondrial membrane, yet shuttle between the mitochondria and the nucleus. We show that MondoA:Mlx complexes accumulate in the nucleus in response to glucose and 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG). Furthermore, nuclear localization of MondoA:Mlx depends on the enzymatic activity of hexokinases. These enzymes catalyze conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate (G6P), which is the first step in the glycolytic pathway. Together, these findings suggest that MondoA:Mlx monitors intracellular G6P concentration and translocates to the nucleus when levels of this key metabolite increase. Transcriptional profiling experiments demonstrate that MondoA is required for >75% of the 2-DG-induced transcription signature. We identify thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) as a direct and glucose-regulated MondoA:Mlx transcriptional target. Furthermore, MondoA:Mlx complexes, via their regulation of TXNIP, are potent negative regulators of glucose uptake. These studies suggest a key role for MondoA:Mlx complexes in the adaptive transcriptional response to changes in extracellular glucose concentration and peripheral glucose uptake.
National Acad Sciences