Increased expression of mitochondrial transcription factor A and nuclear respiratory factor-1 in skeletal muscle from aged human subjects

FEBS Lett. 2001 Jul 13;501(1):74-8. doi: 10.1016/s0014-5793(01)02628-x.

Abstract

The expression of two factors involved in the nuclear-mitochondrial crosstalk, namely the mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and the nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), was studied in human skeletal muscle biopsies of young and aged subjects. Aged subjects presented a 2.6-fold and an 11-fold increase of the levels of TFAM protein and TFAM mRNA, respectively. The increased expression of TFAM was associated to the doubling of NRF-1 DNA-binding affinity and to a 6-fold increase of NRF-1 mRNA level. The upregulation of TFAM and NRF-1, in aged skeletal muscle, appears involved in the pathway leading to the age-related increase of mitochondrial DNA content.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / physiology*
  • Biopsy
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression*
  • Humans
  • Mitochondria / genetics
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Mitochondrial Proteins*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / cytology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 1
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factors
  • Protein Binding
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 1
  • NRF1 protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • TFAM protein, human
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • mitochondrial transcription factor A