Increased AMP deaminase activity decreases ATP content and slows protein degradation in cultured skeletal muscle
Patrick R.Davis Metabolism Volume 108, July 2020, 154257
Highlights
• Increased AMP degradation leads to decreased ATP content in muscle cells.
• Decreased ATP content can be dissociated from decreased free energy of ATP hydrolysis.
• Decreased ATP content does not alter protein synthesis or autophagic/lysosomal flux.
• Decreased ATP content is associated with decreased protein degradation in live cells.
Background
Protein degradation is an energy-dependent process, requiring ATP at multiple steps. However, reports conflict as to the relationship between intracellular energetics and the rate of proteasome-mediated protein degradation.
Methods
To determine whether the concentration of the adenine nucleotide pool (ATP + ADP + AMP) affects protein degradation in muscle cells, we overexpressed an AMP degrading enzyme, AMP deaminase 3 (AMPD3), via adenovirus in C2C12 myotubes.
Results
Overexpression of AMPD3 resulted in a dose- and time-dependent reduction of total adenine nucleotides (ATP, ADP and AMP) without increasing the ADP/ATP or AMP/ATP ratios. In agreement, the reduction of total adenine nucleotide concentration did not result in increased Thr172 phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a common indicator of intracellular energetic state. Furthermore, LC3 protein accumulation and ULK1 (Ser 555) phosphorylation were not induced. However, overall protein degradation and ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis were slowed by overexpression of AMPD3, despite unchanged content of several proteasome subunit proteins and proteasome activity in vitro under standard conditions.
Conclusions
Altogether, these findings indicate that a physiologically relevant decrease in ATP content, without a concomitant increase in ADP or AMP, is sufficient to decrease the rate of protein degradation and activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in muscle cells. This suggests that adenine nucleotide degrading enzymes, such as AMPD3, may be a viable target to control muscle protein degradation and perhaps muscle mass.