The role of PGC-1alpha on mitochondrial function and apoptotic susceptibility in muscle.
Mitochondria are critical for cellular bioenergetics, and they mediate apoptosis within cells. We used whole body peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) knockout (KO) animals to investigate its role on organelle function, apoptotic signaling, and cytochrome-c oxidase activity, an indicator of mitochondrial content, in muscle and other tissues (brain, liver, and pancreas). Lack of PGC-1alpha reduced mitochondrial content in all muscles (17-44%; P < 0.05) but had no effect in brain, liver, and pancreas. However, the tissue expression of proteins involved in mitochondrial DNA maintenance [transcription factor A (Tfam)], import (Tim23), and remodeling [mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) and dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)] did not parallel the decrease in mitochondrial content in PGC-1alpha KO animals. These proteins remained unchanged or were upregulated (P < 0.05) in the highly oxidative heart, indicating a change in mitochondrial composition. A change in muscle organelle composition was also evident from the alterations in subsarcolemmal and intermyofibrillar mitochondrial respiration, which was impaired in the absence of PGC-1alpha. However, endurance-trained KO animals did not exhibit reduced mitochondrial respiration. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was not affected by the lack of PGC-1alpha, but subsarcolemmal mitochondria from PGC-1alpha KO animals released a greater amount of cytochrome c than in WT animals following exogenous ROS treatment. Our results indicate that the lack of PGC-1alpha results in 1) a muscle type-specific suppression of mitochondrial content that depends on basal oxidative capacity, 2) an alteration in mitochondrial composition, 3) impaired mitochondrial respiratory function that can be improved by training, and 4) a greater basal protein release from subsarcolemmal mitochondria, indicating an enhanced mitochondrial apoptotic susceptibility.
School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York Univ., Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada.
Peter J
PJ
Adhihetty
Giulia
G
Uguccioni
Lotte
L
Leick
Juan
J
Hidalgo
Henriette
H
Pilegaard
David A
DA
Hood
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019069:Cell Respiration; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000378:metabolism; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008929:Mitochondria, Heart / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000083162:Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; D010807:Physical Endurance; D005082:Physical Exertion; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D000083162:Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; C485290:Ppargc1a protein, mouse; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV