Here we examined the effect of H 2O2 on the regulation of PGC-1␣ expression, and its relationship to AMPK activation. We demonstrate that 24 h of exogenous H2O2 treatment increased PGC-1␣ promoter activity and mRNA expression. Both effects were blocked with the addition of N-acetylcysteine, a ROS scavenger. These effects were mediated, in part, via upstream stimulatory factor-1/Ebox DNA binding and involved 1) interactions with downstream sequences and 2) the activation of AMPK. Elevated ROS led to the activation of AMPK, likely via a decline in ATP levels. The activation of AMPK using 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-␤-d-ribofuranoside increased PGC-1␣ promoter activity and mRNA levels but reduced ROS production. Thus the net effect of AMPK activation on PGC-1␣ expression was a result of increased transcriptional activation, counterbalanced by reduced ROS production. The effects of H2O2 on PGC-1␣ expression differed depending on the level of ROS within the cell. Low levels of ROS result in reduced PGC-1␣ mRNA in the absence of an effect on PGC-1␣ promoter activation. In contrast, elevated levels of H2O2 induce PGC-1␣ transcription indirectly, via AMPK activation. These data identify unique interactions between ROS and AMPK activation on the expression of PGC-1␣ in muscle cells. C2C12 cells; mitochondrial biogenesis; muscle gene expression; adenosine 5Ј-monophosphate kinase; upstream stimulatory factor-1; reactive oxygen species; peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-␥ coactivator-1 protein-␣

Growing evidence highlights a role for mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress as underlying contributors to Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis. DJ-1 (PARK7) is a recently identified recessive familial PD gene. Its loss leads to increased susceptibility of neurons to oxidative stress and death. However, its mechanism of action is not fully understood. Presently, we report that DJ-1 deficiency in cell lines, cultured neurons, mouse brain and lymphoblast cells derived from DJ-1 patients display aberrant mitochondrial morphology. We also show that these DJ-1-dependent mitochondrial defects contribute to oxidative stress-induced sensitivity to cell death since reversal of this fragmented mitochondrial phenotype abrogates neuronal cell death. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) appear to play a critical role in the observed defects, as ROS scavengers rescue the phenotype and mitochondria isolated from DJ-1 deficient animals produce more ROS compared with control. Importantly, the aberrant mitochondrial phenotype can be rescued by the expression of Pink1 and Parkin, two PD-linked genes involved in regulating mitochondrial dynamics and quality control. Finally, we show that DJ-1 deficiency leads to altered autophagy in murine and human cells. Our findings define a mechanism by which the DJ-1-dependent mitochondrial defects contribute to the increased sensitivity to oxidative stress-induced cell death that has been previously reported.

The transcriptional coactivator the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) has been identified as an important mediator of mitochondrial biogenesis based on its ability to interact with transcription factors that activate nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins. The induction of PGC-1alpha protein expression under conditions that provoke mitochondrial biogenesis, such as contractile activity or thyroid hormone (T(3)) treatment, is not fully characterized. Thus we related PGC-1alpha protein expression to cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in 1) tissues of varying oxidative capacities, 2) tissues from animals treated with T(3), and 3) skeletal muscle subject to contractile activity both in cell culture and in vivo. Our results demonstrate a strong positive correlation (r = 0.74; P < 0.05) between changes in PGC-1alpha and COX activity, used as an index of mitochondrial adaptations. The highest constitutive levels of PGC-1alpha were found in the heart, whereas the lowest were measured in fast-twitch white muscle and liver. T(3) increased PGC-1alpha content similarly in both fast- and slow-twitch muscle, as well as in the liver, but not in heart. T(3) also induced early (6 h) increases in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPKalpha) activity, as well as later (5 day) increases in p38 MAP kinase activity in slow-twitch, but not in fast-twitch, muscle. Contractile activity provoked early increases in PGC-1alpha, coincident with increases in mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam), and nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1) protein expression, suggesting that PGC-1alpha is physiologically important in coordinating the expression of the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Ca(2+) ionophore treatment of muscle cells led to an approximately threefold increase in PGC-1alpha protein, and contractile activity induced rapid and marked increases in both p38 MAP kinase and AMPKalpha activities. 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR) treatment of muscle cells also led to parallel increases in AMPKalpha activity and PGC-1alpha protein levels. These data are consistent with observations that indicate that increases in PGC-1alpha protein are affected by Ca(2+) signaling mechanisms, AMPKalpha activity, as well as posttranslational phosphorylation events that increase PGC-1alpha protein stability. Our data support a role for PGC-1alpha in the physiological regulation of mitochondrial content in a variety of tissues and suggest that increases in PGC-1alpha expression form part of a unifying pathway that promotes both T(3)- and contractile activity-induced mitochondrial adaptations.

SUMMARY Skeletal muscle is a highly malleable tissue, capable of pronounced metabolic and morphological adaptations in response to contractile activity(i.e. exercise). Each bout of contractile activity results in a coordinated alteration in the expression of a variety of nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) gene products, leading to phenotypic adaptations. This results in an increase in muscle mitochondrial volume and changes in organelle composition,referred to as mitochondrial biogenesis. The functional consequence of this biogenesis is an improved resistance to fatigue. Signals initiated by the exercise bout involve changes in intracellular Ca2+ as well as alterations in energy status (i.e. ATP/ADP ratio) and the consequent activation of downstream kinases such as AMP kinase and Ca2+-calmodulin-activated kinases. These kinases activate transcription factors that bind DNA to affect the transcription of genes, the most evident manifestation of which occurs during the post-exercise recovery period when energy metabolism is directed toward anabolism, rather than contractile activity. An important protein that is affected by exercise is the transcriptional coactivator PGC-1α, which cooperates with multiple transcription factors to induce the expression of nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins. Once translated in the cytosol, these mitochondrially destined proteins are imported into the mitochondrial outer membrane, inner membrane or matrix space via specific import machinery transport components. Contractile activity affects the expression of the import machinery, as well as the kinetics of import, thus facilitating the entry of newly synthesized proteins into the expanding organelle. An important set of proteins that are imported are the mtDNA transcription factors, which influence the expression and replication of mtDNA. While mtDNA contributes only 13 proteins to the synthesis of the organelle, these proteins are vital for the proper assembly of multi-subunit complexes of the respiratory chain,when combined with nuclear-encoded protein subunits. The expansion of skeletal muscle mitochondria during organelle biogenesis involves the assembly of an interconnected network system (i.e. a mitochondrial reticulum). This expansion of membrane size is influenced by the balance between mitochondrial fusion and fission. Thus, mitochondrial biogenesis is an adaptive process that requires the coordination of multiple cellular events, including the transcription of two genomes, the synthesis of lipids and proteins and the stoichiometric assembly of multisubunit protein complexes into a functional respiratory chain. Impairments at any step can lead to defective electron transport, a subsequent failure of ATP production and an inability to maintain energy homeostasis.

Loss of parkin function is responsible for the majority of autosomal recessive parkinsonism. Here, we show that parkin is not only a stress-protective, but also a stress-inducible protein. Both mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induce an increase in parkin-specific mRNA and protein levels. The stress-induced upregulation of parkin is mediated by ATF4, a transcription factor of the unfolded protein response (UPR) that binds to a specific CREB/ATF site within the parkin promoter. Interestingly, c-Jun can bind to the same site, but acts as a transcriptional repressor of parkin gene expression. We also present evidence that mitochondrial damage can induce ER stress, leading to the activation of the UPR, and thereby to an upregulation of parkin expression. Vice versa, ER stress results in mitochondrial damage, which can be prevented by parkin. Notably, the activity of parkin to protect cells from stress-induced cell death is independent of the proteasome, indicating that proteasomal degradation of parkin substrates cannot explain the cytoprotective activity of parkin. Our study supports the notion that parkin has a role in the interorganellar crosstalk between the ER and mitochondria to promote cell survival under stress, suggesting that both ER and mitochondrial stress can contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.