Last update:
02-Nov-2000

Arch Hellen Med, 17(2), March-April 2000, 152-156

BRIEF REVIEW

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs):
Their role in gene expression and carcinogenesis

M. GAZOULI,¹ G. NASIOULAS²

¹Department of Cell Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, USA
²Department of Molecular Biology, “Hygeia” Hospital, Athens, Greece

It is known that fatty acids derived from endogenous metabolism or nutrition can act as second messengers and regulators of cell signaling pathways. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) belong to the steroid hormone superfamily. The PPARs are activated by fatty acids and fatty acid-like chemicals called peroxisome proliferators (PPs). The activation of the PPARs affects several cell functions such as cell proliferation and differentiation, and modulates the expression of different target-genes. This is a review of the current literature regarding the potential role of PPARs in mediating the effects of fatty acids on gene expression, cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis.

Key words: Cancer, Fatty acids, Peroxisome proliferators, PPAR.