PPAR control: it's SIRTainly as easy as PGC

This review describes recent advances in our knowledge of the regulatory interactions influencing the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-regulated genes. We address recent advances highlighting the role of PPARgamma (PPARG) coactivator-1 (PGC-1) and lipin-1 in co-ordinating the expression of genes controlling nutrient handling. We evaluate the possibility that SIRT1 lies at the heart of a regulatory loop involving PPARalpha, PGC-1alpha (PPARA, PPARGC1A as given in the HUGO Database), and lipin-1 (LPIN1 as listed in the HUGO Database) that ultimately controls the metabolic response to varying nutrient and physiological signals via a common mechanism mediated by post-translation modifications (deacetylation) of both PPARalpha and PGC-1s. Finally, we comment on the potential of pharmaceutical manipulation of these targets as well as the possible problems associated with this strategy.