TY - JOUR
T1 - Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α)
T2 - Transcriptional coactivator and metabolic regulator
AU - Puigserver, Pere
AU - Spiegelman, Bruce M.
PY - 2003/2
Y1 - 2003/2
N2 - Investigations of biological programs that are controlled by gene transcription have mainly studied the regulation of transcription factors. However, there are examples in which the primary focus of biological regulation is at the level of a transcriptional coactivator. We have reviewed here the molecular mechanisms and biological programs controlled by the transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α). Key cellular signals that control energy and nutrient homeostasis, such as cAMP and cytokine pathways, strongly activate PGC-1α. Once PGC-1α is activated, it powerfully induces and coordinates gene expression that stimulates mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in brown fat, fiber-type switching in skeletal muscle, and multiple aspects of the fasted response in liver. The regulation of these metabolic and cell fate decisions by PGC-1α is achieved through specific interaction with a variety of transcription factors such as nuclear hormone receptors, nuclear respiratory factors, and muscle-specific transcription factors. PGC-1α therefore constitutes one of the first and clearest examples in which biological programs are chiefly regulated by a transcriptional coactivator in response to environmental stimuli. Finally, PGC-1α's control of energy homeostasis suggests that it could be a target for antiobesity or diabetes drugs.
AB - Investigations of biological programs that are controlled by gene transcription have mainly studied the regulation of transcription factors. However, there are examples in which the primary focus of biological regulation is at the level of a transcriptional coactivator. We have reviewed here the molecular mechanisms and biological programs controlled by the transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α). Key cellular signals that control energy and nutrient homeostasis, such as cAMP and cytokine pathways, strongly activate PGC-1α. Once PGC-1α is activated, it powerfully induces and coordinates gene expression that stimulates mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in brown fat, fiber-type switching in skeletal muscle, and multiple aspects of the fasted response in liver. The regulation of these metabolic and cell fate decisions by PGC-1α is achieved through specific interaction with a variety of transcription factors such as nuclear hormone receptors, nuclear respiratory factors, and muscle-specific transcription factors. PGC-1α therefore constitutes one of the first and clearest examples in which biological programs are chiefly regulated by a transcriptional coactivator in response to environmental stimuli. Finally, PGC-1α's control of energy homeostasis suggests that it could be a target for antiobesity or diabetes drugs.
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U2 - 10.1210/er.2002-0012
DO - 10.1210/er.2002-0012
M3 - Article
C2 - 12588810
AN - SCOPUS:0037326196
SN - 0163-769X
VL - 24
SP - 78
EP - 90
JO - Endocrine Reviews
JF - Endocrine Reviews
IS - 1
ER -