The Role of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor ? Coactivator-1 ? in the Pathogenesis of Fructose-Induced Insulin Resistance

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ? coactivator-1 ? (PGC-1?) is known to be a transcriptional coactivator for SREBP-1, the master regulator of hepatic lipogenesis. Here, we evaluated the role of PGC-1? in the pathogenesis of fructose-induced insulin resistance by using an antisense oligonucletoide (ASO) to knockdown PGC-1? in liver and adipose tissue. PGC-1? ASO improved the metabolic phenotype induced by fructose feeding by reducing expression of SREBP-1 and downstream lipogenic genes in liver. PGC-1? ASO also reversed hepatic insulin resistance induced by fructose in both basal and insulin-stimulated states. Furthermore, PGC-1? ASO increased insulin-stimulated whole-body glucose disposal due to a threefold increase in glucose uptake in white adipose tissue. These data support an important role for PGC-1? in the pathogenesis of fructose-induced insulin resistance and suggest that PGC-1? inhibition may be a therapeutic target for treatment of NAFLD, hypertriglyceridemia, and insulin resistance associated with increased de novo lipogenesis.