Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoform4 (PDK4) is also named as PDHK4 and belongs to the PDK/BCKDK protein kinase family. It is upregulated by starvation in many tissues of the body during starvation. This causes inactivation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex which blocks pyruvate oxidation and conserves lactate and alanine for gluconeogenesis. Enhanced PDK4 expression may be caused by the increase in free fatty acids that occurs during starvation. Free fatty acids can activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), and activation of PPARα can promote PDK4 expression.
