PGC-1 proteins and heart failure.

The transcriptional coactivators PGC-1α and PGC-1β are master regulators of oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid oxidation gene expression. Pressure overload hypertrophy and heart failure are associated with repressed PGC-1α and PGC-1β gene expression. Maintaining expression of PGC-1α and -β preserves contractile function in response to a pathological increase in workload. Here, we discuss the regulation of PGC-1 proteins under conditions of pressure overload hypertrophy and heart failure.