Managing the sugar factory: A new feather in the cap for nuclear factor Y

Abstract

Gluconeogenesis in the liver converts lipids and several other noncarbohydrate precursors into glucose, ensuring that blood sugar levels are maintained at healthy levels, especially during fasting. Effective regulation of gluconeogenesis is therefore critical for maintaining systemic metabolic homeostasis. Zhang and colleagues have discovered that the ubiquitous transcriptional regulator nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) confers cAMP responsiveness to key gluconeogenic genes and up-regulates hepatic glucose production. The study expands our understanding of transcriptional regulation of hepatic gluconeogenesis and also presents critical insights into the function of NF-Y in the liver.