title: PGC-1alpha coactivates PDK4 gene expression via the orphan nuclear receptor ERRalpha: a mechanism for transcriptional control of muscle glucose metabolism.
abstract: The transcriptional coactivator PGC-1alpha is a key regulator of energy metabolism, yet little is known about its role in control of substrate selection. We found that physiological stimuli known to induce PGC-1alpha expression in skeletal muscle coordinately upregulate the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4), a negative regulator of glucose oxidation. Forced expression of PGC-1alpha in C(2)C(12) myotubes induced PDK4 mRNA and protein expression. PGC-1alpha-mediated activation of PDK4 expression was shown to occur at the transcriptional level and was mapped to a putative nuclear receptor binding site. Gel shift assays demonstrated that the PGC-1alpha-responsive element bound the estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRalpha), a recently identified component of the PGC-1alpha signaling pathway. In addition, PGC-1alpha was shown to activate ERRalpha expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that PGC-1alpha and ERRalpha occupied the mPDK4 promoter in C(2)C(12) myotubes. Additionally, transfection studies using ERRalpha-null primary fibroblasts demonstrated that ERRalpha is required for PGC-1alpha-mediated activation of the mPDK4 promoter. As predicted by the effects of PGC-1alpha on PDK4 gene transcription, overexpression of PGC-1alpha in C(2)C(12) myotubes decreased glucose oxidation rates. These results identify the PDK4 gene as a new PGC-1alpha/ERRalpha target and suggest a mechanism whereby PGC-1alpha exerts reciprocal inhibitory influences on glucose catabolism while increasing alternate mitochondrial oxidative pathways in skeletal muscle.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cardiovascular Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Adam R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wende
authors.forename: Janice M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Huss
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Schaeffer
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giguère
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D015870:Gene Expression; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D020218:Response Elements; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000097983:ERRalpha Estrogen-Related Receptor
chemical_list: D005947:Glucose; D047493:PPAR alpha; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; D011494:Protein Kinases; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000097983:ERRalpha Estrogen-Related Receptor; C485290:Ppargc1a protein, mouse; C403287:pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4