Complementary action of the PGC-1 coactivators in mitochondrial biogenesis and brown fat differentiation

Cell Metab. 2006 May;3(5):333-41. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2006.04.002.

Abstract

Mitochondria play an essential role in the ability of brown fat to generate heat, and the PGC-1 coactivators control several aspects of mitochondrial biogenesis. To investigate their specific roles in brown fat cells, we generated immortal preadipocyte lines from the brown adipose tissue of mice lacking PGC-1alpha. We could then efficiently knockdown PGC-1beta expression by shRNA expression. Loss of PGC-1alpha did not alter brown fat differentiation but severely reduced the induction of thermogenic genes. Cells deficient in either PGC-1alpha or PGC-1beta coactivators showed a small decrease in the differentiation-dependant program of mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration; however, this increase in mitochondrial number and function was totally abolished during brown fat differentiation when both PGC-1alpha and PGC-1beta were deficient. These data show that PGC-1alpha is essential for brown fat thermogenesis but not brown fat differentiation, and the PGC-1 coactivators play an absolutely essential but complementary function in differentiation-induced mitochondrial biogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipocytes / cytology
  • Adipocytes / drug effects
  • Adipocytes / metabolism
  • Adipose Tissue, Brown / cytology*
  • Adipose Tissue, Brown / drug effects
  • Adipose Tissue, Brown / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / genetics
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Respiration
  • Cyclic CMP / analogs & derivatives
  • Cyclic CMP / pharmacology
  • Cytochromes c / genetics
  • Cytochromes c / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Ion Channels / genetics
  • Ion Channels / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / genetics
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / genetics
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Thermogenesis / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Uncoupling Protein 1

Substances

  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta
  • Ion Channels
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • Ppargc1a protein, mouse
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Uncoupling Protein 1
  • peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1
  • Cyclic CMP
  • dibutyryl cyclic-3',5'-cytidine monophosphate
  • Cytochromes c