Cited by 273Autophagy in Disease and TherapyAdipose Tissue and MetabolismExercise and Physiological Responses

Role of PGC-1α during acute exercise-induced autophagy and mitophagy in skeletal muscle

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Vainshtein, Anna, Tryon, Liam D., Pauly, Marion, Hood, David A.·2015·American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology

Abstract

Regular exercise leads to systemic metabolic benefits, which require remodeling of energy resources in skeletal muscle. During acute exercise, the increase in energy demands initiate mitochondrial biogenesis, orchestrated by the transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α). Much less is known about the degradation of mitochondria following exercise, although new evidence implicates a cellular recycling mechanism, autophagy/mitophagy, in exercise-induced adaptations. How mitophagy is activated and what role PGC-1α plays in this process during exercise have yet to be evaluated. Thus we investigated autophagy/mitophagy in muscle immediately following an acute bout of exercise or 90 min following exercise in wild-type (WT) and PGC-1α knockout (KO) animals. Deletion of PGC-1α resulted in a 40% decrease in mitochondrial content, as well as a 25% decline in running performance, which was accompanied by severe acidosis in KO animals, indicating metabolic distress. Exercise induced significant increases in gene transcripts of various mitochondrial (e.g., cytochrome oxidase subunit IV and mitochondrial transcription factor A) and autophagy-related (e.g., p62 and light chain 3) genes in WT, but not KO, animals. Exercise also resulted in enhanced targeting of mitochondria for mitophagy, as well as increased autophagy and mitophagy flux, in WT animals. This effect was attenuated in the absence of PGC-1α. We also identified Niemann-Pick C1, a transmembrane protein involved in lysosomal lipid trafficking, as a target of PGC-1α that is induced with exercise. These results suggest that mitochondrial turnover is increased following exercise and that this effect is at least in part coordinated by PGC-1α. Anna Vainshtein received the AJP-Cell 2015 Paper of the Year award. Listen to a podcast with Anna Vainshtein and coauthor David A. Hood at http://ajpcell.podbean.com/e/ajp-cell-paper-of-the-year-2015-award-podcast/ .

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Crossref · 10.1152/ajpcell.00380.2014

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Authors
Vainshtein, A., Tryon, L. D., Pauly, M., & Hood, D. A.
Affiliations
York University (CA)
Corresponding author
Hood, David A.
Venue
American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology
Published
2015-05-01
Volume
308
Issue
9
Pages
C710-C719
ISSN
  • 0363-6143 (ISSN-L)
  • 1522-1563
OpenAlex
W2057731584
Cited by
273
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 6
FWCI
20.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Gouvernement du Canada | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie du Canada)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Autophagy in Disease and Therapy
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
Keywords
PGC-1α, acute exercise, autophagy, mitophagy, skeletal muscle, mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial turnover, Niemann-Pick C1, exercise-induced acidosis, running performance, p62, TFAM
MeSH terms
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha, Forkhead Box Protein O3, Niemann-Pick C1 Protein, Acidosis, Animals, Autophagy, Physical Exertion, Gene Expression Regulation, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mitochondria, Muscle, Muscle Contraction, Proteins, RNA, Messenger, Time Factors, Transcription Factors, Signal Transduction, Biomarkers, Mice, Knockout, Muscle, Skeletal, Lactic Acid, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors, Forkhead Transcription Factors, Mitophagy

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