Nuclear peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma(PPARγ)as a therapeutic target to treat neurodegeneration and dependence elicited by drugs of abuse

Peroxisome proliferator activated receptors(PPARs)are ligand-activated transcription factors that are located in the cytoplasm.After activation by specific ligands,PPARs enter the nucleus and heterodimerize with the retinoid x receptor.This heterodimer binds to PPAR response element in DNA to regulate the transcription of genes that are involved in different physiological processes,including insulin sensitization,inflammatory response,and neuroprotection(Kapadia et al.,2008).