TNF-α downregulates eNOS expression and mitochondrial biogenesis in fat and muscle of obese rodents
J. Clin. Invest. Alessandra Valerio, et al. 116:2791 doi:10.1172/JCI28570 [Go to this article.]

Figure 2
Mitochondrial biogenesis is reduced in WAT from obese animals. (A) PGC-1α, NRF-1, and Tfam mRNA, analyzed by means of quantitative RT-PCR with gene-specific oligonucleotide probes in WAT of obese and control animals. The cycle number at which the various transcripts were detectable was compared to that of β-actin as an internal control, and expressed as arbitrary units versus values in control animals taken as 1.0 (n = 5 experiments). Shown at top is mtDNA analysis; 1 experiment representative of 5 gels (n = 5 per group). Numbers indicate relative amounts from the densitometric analysis when control measurements were assigned a value of 1.0. Leftmost lanes show DNA markers (–). (B) COX IV and Cyt c proteins were detected by immunoblot analysis (1 experiment representative of 5 reproducible ones) in WAT of obese and control animals. Numbers indicate relative values from the densitometric analysis (normalized to β-actin) relative to controls, which were assigned a value of 1.0. (C) Oxygen consumption by WAT of obese and control animals was measured in a gas-tight chamber using an O₂ electrode. Oxygen consumption values were normalized to the tissue protein content (n = 3 experiments). ***P < 0.01, *P < 0.05.