Inter-Tissue Expression Patterns of the Key Metabolic Biomarker Pgc1a In Severely Obese Individuals: Implication in Obesity-Induced Disease.

BACKGROUND: PGC-1α is already known as a significant regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid metabolism.

METHODS: Our study focuses on the role of PGC1a in morbid obesity, based on its immunohistochemical expression in five different tissues, collected from 50 severely obese patients during planned bariatric surgery. The investigated tissues include subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), skeletal muscle (SM), extramyocellular adipose tissue (EMAT) and liver.

RESULTS: Our findings highlighted significant positive inter-tissue correlations regarding PGC-1α expression between several tissue pairs (VAT-SAT, VAT-SM, VAT-EMAT, SAT-SM, SAT-EMAT, SM-EMAT). Moreover, we found significant negative correlations between PGC1a expression in VAT with CD68 expression in skeletal muscle and EMAT, implying a possible protective role of PGC1a against obesity-induced inflammation.

DISCUSSION: Unmasking the inter-tissue communication networks regarding PGC-1α expression in morbid obesity, will give more insight into its significant role in obesity-induced diseases. PGC1a could potentially represent a future preventive and therapeutic target against obesity-induced disease, probably through enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism.