PPARγ and Oxidative Stress: Con(β) Catenating NRF2 and FOXO

Peroxisome-proliferator activator receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) is a nuclear receptor of central importance in energy homeostasis and inflammation. Recent experimental pieces of evidence demonstrate that PPAR gamma is implicated in the oxidative stress response, an imbalance between antithetic prooxidation and antioxidation forces that may lead the cell to apoptotic or necrotic death. In this delicate and intricate game of equilibrium, PPAR gamma stands out as a central player devoted to the quenching and containment of the damage and to foster cell survival. However, PPAR gamma does not act alone: indeed the nuclear receptor is at the point of interconnection of various pathways, such as the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), Wnt/beta-catenin, and forkhead box proteins O (FOXO) pathways. Here we reviewed the role of PPAR gamma in response to oxidative stress and its interaction with other signaling pathways implicated in this process, an interaction that emerged as a potential new therapeutic target for several oxidative-related diseases.