FIGURE 3.

Pioglitazone restores the mitochondrial bioenergetic profile in primary myocytes and in the db/db mouse. A, pioglitazone (Pio) up-regulates the expression of the gene encoding for PGC-1α in primary myoblasts. B, pioglitazone reverses the diminution in mitochondrial size and membrane potential evoked by insulin resistance in primary skeletal myoblasts. C, pioglitazone prevents the development of fasting hyperglycemia in db/db mice. D, pioglitazone up-regulates PGC-1α steady-state protein levels in db/db mice. The levels of PGC-1α were diminished in untreated db/db mice compared with strain-matched C57BL/6J control mice.