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PGC-1α: a master gene that is hard to master

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Abstract

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) is a transcriptional coactivator that favorably affects mitochondrial function. This concept is supported by an increasing amount of data including studies in PGC-1α gene-deleted mice, suggesting that PGC-1α is a rescue factor capable of boosting cell metabolism and promoting cell survival. However, this view has now been called into question by a recent study showing that adeno-associated virus-mediated PGC-1α overexpression causes overt cell degeneration in dopaminergic neurons. How is this to be understood, and can these seemingly conflicting findings tell us something about the role of PGC-1α in cell stress and in control of neuronal homeostasis?

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Acknowledgments

Work on PGC-1α in the laboratory is supported by Academy of Finland, Sigrid Juselius Foundation, Liv och Hälsa, The Finnish Parkinson Foundation, Magnus Ehrnrooth, and Minerva Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biomedicine, Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Dan Lindholm, Ove Eriksson, Johanna Mäkelä & Laura Korhonen

  2. Minerva Medical Research Institute, Tukholmankatu 8, 00290, Helsinki, Finland

    Dan Lindholm, Johanna Mäkelä & Laura Korhonen

  3. Research Program Unit, Biomedicum Helsinki 1, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Ove Eriksson

  4. Division of Human Physiology, Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, University of Palermo, 90134, Palermo, Italy

    Natale Belluardo

Authors
  1. Dan Lindholm
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  2. Ove Eriksson
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  3. Johanna Mäkelä
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  4. Natale Belluardo
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  5. Laura Korhonen
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Correspondence to Dan Lindholm.

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Lindholm, D., Eriksson, O., Mäkelä, J. et al. PGC-1α: a master gene that is hard to master. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 69, 2465–2468 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-012-1043-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-012-1043-0

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