Project description:Decreased mitochondrial mass and function in muscle of diabetic patients is associated with low PGC-1alpha, a transcriptional coactivator of the mitochondrial gene program. To investigate whether reduced PGC-1alpha and oxidative capacity in muscle directly contributes to age-related glucose intolerance, we compared the genetic signatures and metabolic profiles of aging mice lacking muscle PGC-1alpha. Microarray analysis revealed that a significant proportion of PGC-1alpha-dependent changes in gene expression overlapped with age-associated effects, and aging muscle and muscle lacking PGC-1alpha shared gene signatures of impaired electron transport chain activity and TGFbeta signalling. Gastrocnemius muscle mRNA from young (10 week old) and old (24 month old) wild-type and knock-out (muscle-specific PGC-1alpha, myogenin-cre) C57Bl/6N/6J/129 mice
Project description:Decreased mitochondrial mass and function in muscle of diabetic patients is associated with low PGC-1alpha, a transcriptional coactivator of the mitochondrial gene program. To investigate whether reduced PGC-1alpha and oxidative capacity in muscle directly contributes to age-related glucose intolerance, we compared the genetic signatures and metabolic profiles of aging mice lacking muscle PGC-1alpha. Microarray analysis revealed that a significant proportion of PGC-1alpha-dependent changes in gene expression overlapped with age-associated effects, and aging muscle and muscle lacking PGC-1alpha shared gene signatures of impaired electron transport chain activity and TGFbeta signalling.
Project description:PGC-1s (PGC-1alpha and PGC-1beta) are transcriptional coactivators involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, metabolism, and antioxidant defense. Given the existing links between PGC-1s and aging, we wanted to investigate the contribution of PGC-1s to skin aging. Keratinocytes form a self-renewable layer that differentiate to generate full epidermis. Defects in keratinocyte metabolism related to aging or PGC-1s depletion could impair normal function of keratinocytes and contribute to skin thinning. We used microarrays to detail the global gene expression changes shared by the aging process and the depletion in PGC-1s.
Project description:PGC-1alpha; is a coactivator of nuclear receptors and other transcription factors that regulates several metabolic processes, including mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration, hepatic gluconeogenesis, and muscle fiber-type switching. We show here that, while hepatocytes lacking PGC-1alpha; are defective in the program of hormone-stimulated gluconeogenesis, the mice have constitutively activated gluconeogenic gene expression that is completely insensitive to normal feeding controls. C/EBPbeta; is elevated in the livers of these mice and activates the gluconeogenic genes in a PGC-1α-independent manner. Despite having reduced mitochondrial function, PGC-1alpha; null mice are paradoxically lean and resistant to diet-induced obesity. This is largely due to a profound hyperactivity displayed by the null animals and is associated with lesions in the striatal region of the brain that controls movement. These data illustrate a central role for PGC-1alpha; in the control of energy metabolism but also reveal novel systemic compensatory mechanisms and pathogenic effects of impaired energy homeostasis.
Project description:Title: Total Skeletal Muscle PGC-1 Deficiency Uncouples Mitochondrial Derangements from Fiber Type Determination and Insulin Sensitivity Abstract: Evidence is emerging that the PGC-1 coactivators serve a critical role in skeletal muscle metabolism, function, and disease. Mice with total PGC-1 deficiency in skeletal muscle (PGC-1α-/- βf/f/MLC-Cre mice) were generated and characterized. PGC-1α-/-βf/f/MLC-Cre mice exhibit a dramatic reduction in exercise performance compared to single PGC-1α- or PGC-1β-deficient mice and wild-type controls. The exercise phenotype of the PGC-1α-/-βf/f/MLC-Cre mice was associated with a marked diminution in muscle oxidative capacity and mitochondrial structural derangements consistent with fusion/fission and biogenic defects together with rapid depletion of muscle glycogen stores during exercise. Surprisingly, the skeletal muscle fiber type profile of the PGC-1α-/-βf/f/MLCCre mice was not significantly different than the wild-type mice. Moreover, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance were also not altered in the PGC-1α-/-βf/f/MLC-Cre mice. Taken together, we conclude that PGC-1 coactivators are necessary for the oxidative and mitochondrial programs of skeletal muscle but are dispensable for fundamental fiber type determination and insulin sensitivity. RNA from PGC-1alpha-/- beta f/f/Mlc1fcre was obtained and gene expression pattern compared with PGC-1alpha -/-, PGC-1beta f/f, and PGC-1beta f/f/Mlc1fCre controls. Results file descriptions: 1. GSE23365_skfloxAKO_PPexcl_genesup_GEO-8-16-2010: This table contains genes that were upregulated ≥2.0 fold in gastrocnemius muscle from PGC-1alpha-/- - mice, PGC-1beta f/f/Mlc1fCre mice and PGC-1alpha-/- - beta f/f/Mlc1fCre mice. All groups are normalized to PGC-1beta f/f mice and values are expressed as mean±SEM. The column “description’ contains the gene name, and the column “ID” contains Agilent probe names. 2. GSE23365_skfloxAKO_PPexcl_genesdown_GEO-8-16-2010 This table contains genes that were downregulated ≤0.7 fold in gastrocnemius muscle from PGC-1alpha-/- - mice, PGC-1beta f/f/Mlc1fCre mice and PGC-1alpha-/- - beta f/f/Mlc1fCre mice. All groups are normalized to PGC-1beta f/f mice and values are expressed as mean±SEM. The column “description’ contains the gene name, and the column “ID” contains Agilent probe names.
Project description:We examined global gene expression patterns in response to PGC-1 expression in cells derived from liver or muscle. As our study revealed regulation of HSF1 by PGC-1alpha, in some experiments we knocked-down HSF1 using siRNAs in addition to inducing PGC-1alpha expression. Cells were grown in 24-well plates and adenoviruses encoding either GFP ("Ad-GFP"), PGC-1alpha ("Ad-PGC-1alpha") or PGC-1beta ("Ad-PGC-1beta") were directly added to the culture medium. For experiments involving siRNA transfections, cells were transfected with the indicated siRNAs 48hr prior to infection with adenoviruses encoding either GFP ("Ad-GFP") or PGC-1alpha ("Ad-PGC-1alpha").
Project description:Human rhinoviruses (HRV) are common cold viruses associated with exacerbations of lower airways diseases. Although viral induced epithelial damage mediates inflammation, the molecular mechanisms responsible for airway epithelial damage and dysfunction remain undefined. Using experimental HRV infection studies in humans and highly differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells grown at air-liquid interface (ALI), we examined the links between viral host defense, cellular metabolism, and epithelial barrier function. We observed that early HRV-C15 infection induced a transitory barrier-protective metabolic state characterized by glycolysis that ultimately becomes exhausted as the infection progresses and leads to cellular damage. Pharmacological promotion of glycolysis induced ROS-dependent upregulation of the mitochondrial metabolic regulator, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha), thereby restoring epithelial barrier function, improving viral defense, and attenuating disease pathology. Therefore, PGC-1alpha regulates a metabolic pathway essential to host defense that can be therapeutically targeted to rescue airway epithelial barrier dysfunction and potentially prevent severe respiratory complications or secondary bacterial infections.
Project description:The present study examines the impact of altering energy provision on mitochondrial biogenesis in muscle cells. C2C12 myoblasts were chronically treated with supraphysiological levels of sodium pyruvate for 72 hr. Treated cells exhibited increased mitochondrial protein expression, basal respiratory rate and maximal oxidative capacity. The increase in mitochondrial biogenesis was independent of increases in PGC-1alpha and PGC-1alpha mRNA expression. To further assess whether PGC-1alpha expression was necessary for pyruvate action, cells were infected with adenovirus containing shRNA for PGC-1alpha prior to treatment with pyruvate. Despite a 70% reduction in PGC-1alpha mRNA the effect of pyruvate was preserved. Furthermore, pyruvate induced mitochondrial biogenesis in primary myoblasts from PGC-1alpha null mice. These data suggest that regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis by pyruvate in myoblasts is independent of PGC-1alpha, suggesting the existence of a novel energy-sensing pathway regulating oxidative capacity. Keywords: basal state versus treatment at one time point
Project description:Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, can dramatically impinge on quality of life and mortality. While mitochondrial dysfunction and imbalanced proteostasis are recognized as hallmarks of sarcopenia, the regulatory and functional link between these processes is underappreciated and unresolved. We therefore investigated how mitochondrial proteostasis, a crucial process that coordinates the expression of nuclear- and mitochondrial-encoded mitochondrial proteins with supercomplex formation and respiratory activity, is affected in skeletal muscle aging. Intriguingly, a robust mitochondrial translation impairment was observed in sarcopenic muscle, which is regulated by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1alpha) with the estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRalpha). Exercise, a potent inducer of PGC-1alpha activity, rectifies age-related reduction in mitochondrial translation, in conjunction with quality control pathways. These results highlight the importance of mitochondrial proteostasis in muscle aging, and elucidate regulatory interactions that underlie the powerful benefits of physical activity in this context.