AICAR
Analytical Standards & Laboratory Handling
Verified laboratory protocols, reconstitution parameters, and handling guidelines.
Pharmacological Profile & Mechanism of Action
What it is: AICAR (5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside, also known as Acadesine) is an adenosine analogue and direct cellular activator of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), the master metabolic regulator of energy homeostasis.
How it works: Inside cells, AICAR is phosphorylated by adenosine kinase into ZMP (AICAR monophosphate), an AMP mimetic. ZMP binds to the gamma-subunit of AMPK, allosterically activating it and promoting its phosphorylation by upstream kinase LKB1. This shifts cellular metabolism from anabolic energy-consuming processes to catabolic ATP-generating processes, stimulating glucose uptake via GLUT4 translocation, fatty acid beta-oxidation via acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) inhibition, and mitochondrial biogenesis via PGC-1alpha activation without requiring muscular exertion.
Why researchers study it: Extensively studied as an 'exercise mimetic' for endurance adaptation, insulin sensitivity enhancement, metabolic syndrome research, cardiovascular ischemic preconditioning, and cellular longevity.
