Fig. 1

Schematic of potential interplay between sex steroid hormones, prohibitin, O-GlcNAc transferase, and mitochondria in the sex difference in obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysregulation. Sex steroid hormones differentially regulate mitochondrial biology; E2 and T regulate prohibitin at the transcription level; and prohibitin in turn acts as co-repressor of sex steroid actions. Prohibitin is essential for maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. O-GlcNac transferase and some of the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes are X-linked and can escape X chromosome inactivation. O-GlcNac transferase shares similar features as prohibitin and may be subject to regulation by sex steroid hormones. E2 estradiol, T testosterone