Suppression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-coactivator-1alpha normalizes the glucolipotoxicity-induced decreased BETA2/NeuroD gene transcription and improved glucose tolerance in diabetic rats.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) is significantly elevated in the islets of animal models of diabetes. However, the molecular mechanism has not been clarified. We investigated whether the suppression of PGC-1alpha expression protects against beta-cell dysfunction in vivo and determined the mechanism of action of PGC-1alpha in beta-cells. The studies were performed in glucolipotixicity-induced primary rat islets and INS-1 cells. In vitro and in vivo approaches using adenoviruses were used to evaluate the role of PGC-1alpha in glucolipotoxicity-associated beta-cell dysfunction. The expression of PGC-1alpha in cultured beta-cells increased gradually with glucolipotoxicity. The overexpression of PGC-1alpha also suppressed the expression of the insulin and beta-cell E-box transcription factor (BETA2/NeuroD) genes, which was reversed by PGC-1alpha small interfering RNA (siRNA). BETA2/NeuroD, p300-enhanced BETA2/NeuroD, and insulin transcriptional activities were significantly suppressed by Ad-PGC-1alpha but were rescued by Ad-siPGC-1alpha. PGC-1alpha binding at the glucocorticoid receptor site on the BETA2/NeuroD promoter increased in the presence of PGC-1alpha. Ad-siPGC-1alpha injection through the celiac arteries of 90% pancreatectomized diabetic rats improved their glucose tolerance and maintained their fasting insulin levels. The suppression of PGC-1alpha expression protects the glucolipotoxicity-induced beta-cell dysfunction in vivo and in vitro. A better understanding of the functions of molecules such as PGC-1alpha, which play key roles in intracellular fuel regulation, could herald a new era of the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by providing protection from glucolipotoxicity, which is an important cause of the development and progression of the disease.