ADD1/SREBP-1c mediates insulin-induced gene expression linked to the MAP kinase pathway

The aim of this study was to define the role of sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP)-1c, the human homologue to ADD1 (adipocyte determination- and differentiation-dependent factor 1), in insulin-induced gene expression. Transfection studies using SREBP-1-deficient cells and a LDL receptor promoter fragment containing the ADD1/SREBP-1c binding side showed that the effects of insulin and PDGF were abolished compared to control cells and completely reconstituted by overexpressing ADD1/SREBP-1c. Overexpression of upstream activators of MAP kinases, like MEKK1 or MEK1, demonstrated that ADD1/SREBP-1c-mediated effects of insulin and PDGF might be linked to the MAP kinase cascade. The recombinant N-terminal domain of ADD1/SREBP-1c was phosphorylated predominantly on serine and slightly on threonine residues by MAP kinases ERK1 and ERK2 in vitro. This was reversible by alkaline phosphatase. We conclude that ADD1/SREBP-1c mediates gene regulatory effects of insulin as well as PDGF and that this signalling is linked to the MAP kinase cascade.