Peroxisome Proliferators: Roles and Functions

This assignment delves into the crucial role of peroxisome proliferators (PPARs) in regulating metabolic processes. It outlines the three main subtypes – PPARα, PPARδ, and PPARγ – and their distinct expression patterns and functions. The text emphasizes how PPARs are activated by ligands like fatty acids and thiazolidinediones, influencing glucose and lipid metabolism, energy balance, and gene expression. It further discusses the implications of PPARs in conditions such as type II diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndromes, and dyslipidemia.

Running head: PEROXISOME PROLIFERATORS
Peroxisome proliferators
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1PEROXISOME PROLIFERATORS
Peroxisome proliferators
The PPAR nuclear receptor subfamily is composed of PPARδ, also known as PPARβ,
along with PPARα and PPARγ. These receptors regulate transcription by binding to segments of
DNA containing 2 repeats of AGGTCA sequence separated by 1 nucleotide in promoter region.
PPARα is expressed in the skeletal muscles, adipose tissue (brown), liver, heart and intestinal
mucosa. PPARδ and PPARβ are ubiquitously expressed in liver, kidneys, intestine, adipose
tissue in abdomen and skeletal muscles. PPARγ is most widely studied and generally expressed
in the white and brown adipose tissues, spleen, liver, and the large intestine (Laganà et al. 2016).
These transcription factors are ligand activated. On interacting with their synthetic or natural
agonists (Thiazolidinediones), they translocate inside the nucleus and heterodimerize with a
receptor for retinoid acid, NR2B or RNR. Dietary fatty acids, principally polyunsaturated fatty
acids activate the receptors, which control various metabolic activities like glucose and lipid
metabolism (Monsalve et al. 2013). They also regulate energy balance in the body. They are
responsible for controlling the expression of genes in type II diabetes, obesity, metabolic
syndromes and dyslipidemia. PPARγ is activated in the adipocytes and induces fat cell apoptosis
in visceral and subcutaneous deposits. It also leads to pre-adipocyte cells differentiation into
mature fat cells in subcutaneous fat deposits of human beings. It is associated with upregulation
of triglyceride storage and lipogenesis genes. The PPARδ shows maximum expression in
metabolic tissues and is currently not a target for any drug or therapeutic study (Reilly and Lee
2008).

2PEROXISOME PROLIFERATORS
References
Laganà, A.S., Vitale, S.G., Nigro, A., Sofo, V., Salmeri, F.M., Rossetti, P., Rapisarda, A.M.C.,
La Vignera, S., Condorelli, R.A., Rizzo, G. and Buscema, M., 2016. Pleiotropic actions of
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs) in dysregulated metabolic homeostasis,
inflammation and cancer: current evidence and future perspectives. International journal of
molecular sciences, 17(7), p.999.
Monsalve, F.A., Pyarasani, R.D., Delgado-Lopez, F. and Moore-Carrasco, R., 2013. Peroxisome
proliferator-activated receptor targets for the treatment of metabolic diseases. Mediators of
inflammation, 2013.
Reilly, S.M. and Lee, C.H., 2008. PPARδ as a therapeutic target in metabolic disease. FEBS
letters, 582(1), pp.26-31.