Minutes of PPAR-γ agonism and neuroprotection

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma) is one of the ligand-activated transcription factors which regulates a number of central events and considered as a promising target for various neurodegenerative disease conditions. Numerous reports implicate that PPAR-gamma agonists have shown neuroprotective effects by regulating genes transcription associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. In regards, this review critically appraises the recent knowledge of PPAR-gamma receptors in neuroprotection in order to hypothesize potential neuroprotective mechanism of PPAR-gamma agonism in chronic neurological conditions. Of note, the PPAR-gamma's interaction dynamics with PPAR-gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1 alpha) has gained significant attention for neuroprotection. Likewise, a plethora of studies suggest that the PPAR-gamma pathway can be actuated by the endogenous ligands present in the CNS and thus identification and development of novel agonist for the PPAR-gamma receptor holds a vow to prevent neurodegeneration. Together, the critical insights of this review enlighten the translational possibilities of developing novel neuroprotective therapeutics targeting PPAR-gamma for various neurodegenerative disease conditions.