An increase in murine skeletal muscle peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) mRNA in response to exercise is mediated by beta-adrenergic receptor activation

Endocrinology. 2007 Jul;148(7):3441-8. doi: 10.1210/en.2006-1646. Epub 2007 Apr 19.

Abstract

A single bout of exercise increases expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator (PGC)-1alpha mRNA, which may promote mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle. In brown adipose tissue, cold exposure up-regulates PGC-1alpha expression via adrenergic receptor (AR) activation. Because exercise also activates the sympathetic nervous system, we examined whether exercise-induced increase in PGC-1alpha mRNA expression in skeletal muscle was mediated via AR activation. In C57BL/6J mice, injection of the beta2-AR agonist clenbuterol, but not alpha-, beta1-, or beta3-AR agonists, increased PGC-1alpha mRNA expression more than 30-fold in skeletal muscle. The clenbuterol-induced increase in PGC-1alpha mRNA expression in mice was inhibited by pretreatment with the beta-AR antagonist propranolol. In ex vivo experiments, direct exposure of rat epitrochlearis to beta2-AR agonist, but not alpha-, beta1-, and beta3-AR agonist, led to an increase in levels of PGC-1alpha mRNA. Injection of beta2-AR agonist did not increase PGC-1alpha mRNA expression in beta1-, beta2-, and beta3-AR knockout mice (beta-less mice). PGC-1alpha mRNA in gastrocnemius was increased 3.5-fold in response to running on a treadmill for 45 min. The exercise-induced increase in PGC-1alpha mRNA was inhibited by approximately 70% by propranolol or the beta2-AR-specific inhibitor ICI 118,551. The exercise-induced increase in PGC-1alpha mRNA in beta-less mice was also 36% lower than that in wild-type mice. These data indicate that up-regulation of PGC-1alpha expression in skeletal muscle by exercise is mediated, at least in part, by beta-ARs activation. Among ARs, beta2-AR may mediate an increase in PGC-1alpha by exercise.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / pharmacology
  • Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Agonists
  • Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists
  • Adrenergic beta-3 Receptor Agonists
  • Adrenergic beta-Agonists / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Clenbuterol / pharmacology
  • Dioxoles / pharmacology
  • Dobutamine / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Muscle, Skeletal / drug effects
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • Phenylephrine / pharmacology
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology*
  • Propranolol / pharmacology
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / metabolism
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / genetics
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 / genetics
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 / metabolism
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / genetics
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / metabolism
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3 / genetics
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3 / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Trans-Activators / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors

Substances

  • Adrenergic alpha-Agonists
  • Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Agonists
  • Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists
  • Adrenergic beta-3 Receptor Agonists
  • Adrenergic beta-Agonists
  • Dioxoles
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • Ppargc1a protein, mouse
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • disodium (R,R)-5-(2-((2-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxyethyl)-amino)propyl)-1,3-benzodioxole-2,3-dicarboxylate
  • Phenylephrine
  • Dobutamine
  • Propranolol
  • Clenbuterol