Epinephrine and AICAR-induced PGC-1α mRNA expression is intact in skeletal muscle from rats fed a high-fat diet

Frier BC, Wan Z, Williams DB, Stefanson AL, Wright DC. Epinephrine and AICAR-induced PGC-1 alpha mRNA expression is intact in skeletal muscle from rats fed a high-fat diet. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 302: C1772-C1779, 2012. First published April 11, 2012; doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00410.2011.-Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1 alpha) is a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and is controlled, at least in part, through AMP-activated protein kinase and p38-dependent pathways. There is evidence demonstrating that activation of these kinases and induction of PGC-1 alpha in skeletal muscle are regulated by catecholamines. The purpose of the present study was to determine if consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) impairs epinephrine and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1 beta-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR) signaling and induction of PGC-1 alpha in rat skeletal muscle. Male Wistar rats were fed chow or a HFD for 6 wk and then given a weight-adjusted bolus injection of epinephrine (20, 10, or 5 mu g/100 g body wt sc) or saline, and triceps muscles were harvested 30 min (signaling) or 2 and 4 h (gene expression) postinjection. Despite blunted increases in p38 phosphorylation, the ability of epinephrine to induce PGC-1 alpha was intact in skeletal muscle from HFD-fed rats and was associated with normal increases in activation of PKA and phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein, reputed mediators of PGC-1 alpha expression. The attenuated epinephrine-mediated increase in p38 phosphorylation was independent of increases in MAPK phosphatase 1. At 2 h following AICAR treatment (0.5 g/kg body wt sc), AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphorylation were similar in skeletal muscle from chow-and HFD-fed rats. Surprisingly, AICAR-induced increases in PGC-1 alpha mRNA levels were greater in skeletal muscle from HFD-fed rats. Our results demonstrate that the ability of epinephrine and AICAR to induce PGC-1 alpha remains intact in skeletal muscle from HFD-fed rats. These results question the existence of reduced beta-adrenergic responsiveness in diet-induced obesity and demonstrate that increases in p38 phosphorylation are not required for induction of PGC-1 alpha in muscle from obese rats.