The transcriptional co-activator PGC-1alpha up regulates apelin in human and mouse adipocytes

Abstract

By using pangenomic microarray, we identified apelin as a unique adipokine up regulated by the transcriptional co-activator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) co-activator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha) in human white adipocytes. We investigated its regulation in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of PGC-1alpha by adenovirus in human adipocytes induces apelin expression and secretion. Pharmacological induction of cAMP, an upstream regulator of endogenous PGC-1alpha expression, up regulates apelin gene expression and also apelin secretion in human and mice adipocytes. Moreover, during cold exposure in mice, a physiological situation known to induce both cAMP and PGC-1alpha, apelin expression in adipocytes and plasma levels were increased. This is the first demonstration that PGC-1alpha is involved in the regulation of an adipokine gene expression and release.