Estrogens repress PGC1-α expression in the uterus

PGC-1α is a transcriptional coactivator that is highly involved in several aspects of regulation of metabolism, including mitochondrial biogenesis and activity. Using several in vivo models, we here report that the expression of PGC-1α is repressed by estrogens in the mouse specifically in the uterus. In the absence of estrogens, expression of PGC-1α target genes involved in mitochondrial activity is activated, but not mitochondrial biogenesis. Regulation of PGC-1α expression by estrogens also occurs in Ishikawa human uterine cells at the promoter level and involve modulation of c-jun expression.