DEC1 negatively regulates AMPK activity via LKB1

Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor DEC1 (bHLHE40/Stra13/Sharp2) is one of the clock genes that show a circadian rhythm in various tissues. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity plays important roles in the metabolic process and in cell death induced by glucose depletion. Recent reports have shown that AMPK activity exhibited a circadian rhythm. However, little is known regarding the regulatory mechanisms involved in the circadian rhythm of AMPK activity. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a direct correlation between DEC1 expression and AMPK activity. DEC1 protein and AMPK activity showed a circadian rhythm in the mouse liver with different peak levels. Knocking down DEC1 expression increased AMPK activity, whereas overexpression of DEC1 decreased it. Overexpressing the DEC1 basic mutants had little effect on the AMPK activity. DEC1 bound to the E-box of the LKB1 promoter, decreased LKB1 activity and total protein levels. There was an inverse relationship between DEC1 expression and AMPK activity. Our results suggest that DEC1 negatively regulates AMPK activity via LKB1.