Hepatic ZBTB22 promotes hyperglycemia and insulin resistance via PEPCK1-driven gluconeogenesis

Excessive gluconeogenesis can lead to hyperglycemia and diabetes through as yet incompletely understood mechanisms. Herein, we show that hepatic ZBTB22 expression is increased in both diabetic clinical samples and mice, being affected by nutritional status and hormones. Hepatic ZBTB22 overexpression increases the expression of gluconeogenic and lipogenic genes, heightening glucose output and lipids accumulation in mouse primary hepatocytes (MPHs), while ZBTB22 knockdown elicits opposite effects. Hepatic ZBTB22 overexpression induces glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, accompanied by moderate hepatosteatosis, while ZBTB22-deficient mice display improved energy expenditure, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity, and reduced hepatic steatosis. Moreover, hepatic ZBTB22 knockout beneficially regulates gluconeogenic and lipogenic genes, thereby alleviating glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and liver steatosis in db/db mice. ZBTB22 directly binds to the promoter region of PCK1 to enhance its expression and increase gluconeogenesis. PCK1 silencing markedly abolishes the effects of ZBTB22 overexpression on glucose and lipid metabolism in both MPHs and mice, along with the corresponding changes in gene expression. In conclusion, targeting hepatic ZBTB22/PEPCK1 provides a potential therapeutic approach for diabetes.