Regulation of PGC-1 alpha in White Adipose Tissue by Exercise
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Abstract
This project investigated the effects of exercise and epinephrine on the mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1 alpha), a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, in rat adipose tissue. Rats that swam 2 hours daily for 4 weeks had increased mitochondrial marker proteins and PGC-1 alpha mRNA expression in epididymal and retroperitoneal adipose tissue (p<0.05). Adipose tissue organ culture treatment with epinephrine increased (p<0.05) PGC-1 alpha mRNA expression in both depots, but only epididymal adipose responded to a supra-physiological dose. Beta blockade attenuated the effects of an acute bout of exercise on PGC-1 alpha mRNA expression in epididymal, but not in retroperitoneal adipose tissue. This is the first study to demonstrate that rat white adipose tissue PGC-1 alpha mRNA expression is increased by acute and chronic exercise and epinephrine. Increases in circulating catecholamine levels might be one potential mechanism mediating exercise induced increases in PGC-1 alpha mRNA expression in rat abdominal adipose tissue.