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02-Nov-2000
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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.