Molecular basis of non-responsiveness to peroxisome proliferators: the guinea-pig PPARα is functional and mediates peroxisome proliferator-induced hypolipidaemia

The guinea pig does not undergo peroxisome proliferation in response to peroxisome proliferators, in contrast with other rodents. To understand the molecular basis of this phenotype, the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α (PPARα) from guinea-pig liver was cloned; it encodes a protein of 467 amino acid residues that is similar to rodent and human PPARα. The guinea-pig PPARα showed a high substitution rate: maximum likelihood analysis was consistent with rodent monophyly, but could not exclude rodent polyphyly (P≈ 0.06). The guinea-pig PPARα cDNA was expressed in 293 cells and mediated the induction of the luciferase reporter gene by the peroxisome proliferator, Wy-14,643, dependent on the presence of a peroxisome proliferator response element. Moreover the PPARα RNA and protein were expressed in guinea-pig liver, although at lower levels than in a species which is responsive to peroxisome proliferators, the mouse. To determine whether the guinea-pig PPARα mediated any physiological effects, guinea pigs were exposed to two selective PPARα agonists, Wy-14,643 and methylclofenapate; both compounds induced hypolipidaemia. Thus the guinea pig is a useful model for human responses to peroxisome proliferators.