Non-canonical regulation of glycogenolysis and the Warburg phenotype by soluble adenylyl cyclase

Cyclic AMP is produced in cells by two very different types of adenylyl cyclases: the canonical transmembrane adenylyl cyclases (tmACs, ADCY1[~]9) and the evolutionarily more conserved soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC, ADCY10). While the role and regulation of tmACs is well documented, much less is known of sAC in cellular metabolism. We demonstrate here that sAC is an acute regulator of glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation and glycogen metabolism, tuning their relative bioenergetic contributions. Suppression of sAC activity leads to aerobic glycolysis, enhanced glycogenolysis, decreased oxidative phosphorylation, and an elevated cytosolic NADH/NAD+ ratio, resembling the Warburg phenotype. Importantly, we found that glycogen metabolism is regulated in opposite directions by cAMP depending on its location of synthesis and downstream effectors. While the canonical tmAC-cAMP-PKA axis promotes glycogenolysis, we identify a novel sAC-cAMP-Epac1 axis that suppresses glycogenolysis. These data suggest that sAC is an autonomous bioenergetic sensor that suppresses aerobic glycolysis and glycogenolysis when ATP levels suffice. When the ATP level falls, diminished sAC activity induces glycogenolysis and aerobic glycolysis to maintain energy homeostasis.