Emerging role of protein kinase C in energy homeostasis: A brief overview

Protein kinase C-beta (PKC beta), a member of the lipid-activated serine/threonine PKC family, has been implicated in a wide range of important cellular processes. Very recently, the novel role of PKC beta in the regulation of triglyceride homeostasis via regulating mitochondrial function has been explored. In this review, I aim to provide an overview of PKC beta regarding regulation by lipids and recently gained knowledge on its role in energy homeostasis. Alterations in adipose PKC beta expression have been shown to be crucial for diet-induced obesity and related metabolic abnormalities. High-fat diet is shown to induce PKC beta expression in white adipose tissue in an isoform-and tissue-specific manner. Genetically manipulated mice devoid of PKC beta are lean with increased oxygen consumption and are resistant to high-fat diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis with improved insulin sensitivity. Available data support the model in which PKC beta functions as a diet-sensitive metabolic sensor whose induction in adipose tissue by high-fat diet is among the initiating event disrupting mitochondrial homeostasis via intersecting with p66(Shc) signaling to amplify adipose dysfunction and have systemic consequences. Alterations in PKC beta expression and/or function may have important implications in health and disease and warrants a detailed investigation into the downstream target genes and the underlying mechanisms involved. Development of drugs that target the PKC beta pathway and identification of miRs specifically controlling PKC beta expression may lead to novel therapeutic options for treating age-related metabolic disease including fatty liver, obesity and type 2 diabetes. (C) 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.