Invited review: Regulation of skeletal muscle GLUT-4 expression by exercise

The amount of GLUT-4 protein is a primary factor in determining the maximal rate of glucose transport into skeletal muscle. Therefore, it is important that we understand how exercise regulates GLUT-4 expression so that therapeutic strategies can be designed to increase muscle glucose disposal as a treatment for diabetes. Muscle contraction increases the rates of GLUT-4 transcription and translation. Transcriptional control likely requires at least two DNA binding proteins, myocyte enhancer factor-2 and GLUT-4 enhancer factor, which bind to the promoter. Increased GLUT-4 expression may be mediated by the enzyme AMP-activated kinase, which is activated during exercise and has been demonstrated to increase GLUT-4 transcription. Further research needs to be done to investigate whether AMP-activated kinase activates myocyte enhancer factor-2 and GLUT-4 enhancer factor to increase transcription of the GLUT-4 gene.