A molecule that treats multiple age-related diseases would have a major impact on global health and economics. The SIRT1 deacetylase has drawn attention in this regard as a target for drug design. ...Yet controversy exists around the mechanism of sirtuin-activating compounds (STACs). We found that specific hydrophobic motifs found in SIRT1 substrates such as PGC-1α and FOXO3a facilitate SIRT1 activation by STACs. A single amino acid in SIRT1, Glu 230 , located in a structured N-terminal domain, was critical for activation by all previously reported STAC scaffolds and a new class of chemically distinct activators. In primary cells reconstituted with activation-defective SIRT1, the metabolic effects of STACs were blocked. Thus, SIRT1 can be directly activated through an allosteric mechanism common to chemically diverse STACs.
Circulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations are often elevated in patients with sepsis or with various endogenous diseases that are associated with metabolic endotoxemia. Involuntary loss of ...skeletal muscle, termed muscle wasting, is commonly observed in these conditions, suggesting that circulating LPS might play an essential role in its development. Although impairment of muscle regeneration is an important determinant of skeletal muscle wasting, it is unclear whether LPS affects this process and, if so, by what mechanism. Here, we used the C2C12 myoblast cell line to investigate the effects of LPS on myogenesis.
C2C12 myoblasts were grown to 80% confluence and induced to differentiate in the absence or presence of LPS (0.1 or 1 μg/mL); TAK-242 (1 μM), a specific inhibitor of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling; and a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α neutralizing antibody (5 μg/mL). Expression of a skeletal muscle differentiation marker (myosin heavy chain II), two essential myogenic regulatory factors (myogenin and MyoD), and a muscle negative regulatory factor (myostatin) was analyzed by western blotting. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) DNA-binding activity was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
LPS dose-dependently and significantly decreased the formation of multinucleated myotubes and the expression of myosin heavy chain II, myogenin, and MyoD, and increased NF-κB DNA-binding activity and myostatin expression. The inhibitory effect of LPS on myogenic differentiation was reversible, suggesting that it was not caused by nonspecific toxicity. Both TAK-242 and anti-TNF-α reduced the LPS-induced increase in NF-κB DNA-binding activity, downregulation of myogenic regulatory factors, and upregulation of myostatin, thereby partially rescuing the impairment of myogenesis.
Our data suggest that LPS inhibits myogenic differentiation via a TLR4-NF-κB-dependent pathway and an autocrine/paracrine TNF-α-induced pathway. These pathways may be involved in the development of muscle wasting caused by sepsis or metabolic endotoxemia.
Cholesterol-lowering statins effectively reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events. Myopathy is the most important adverse effect, but its underlying mechanism remains enigmatic. In C2C12 ...myoblasts, several statin lactones reduced respiratory capacity and appeared to be strong inhibitors of mitochondrial complex III (CIII) activity, up to 84% inhibition. The lactones were in general three times more potent inducers of cytotoxicity than their corresponding acid forms. The Qo binding site of CIII was identified as off-target of the statin lactones. These findings could be confirmed in muscle tissue of patients suffering from statin-induced myopathies, in which CIII enzyme activity was reduced by 18%. Respiratory inhibition in C2C12 myoblasts could be attenuated by convergent electron flow into CIII, restoring respiration up to 89% of control. In conclusion, CIII inhibition was identified as a potential off-target mechanism associated with statin-induced myopathies.
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•Most statin lactones are more potent complex III inhibitors than their acid forms•The Qo site of complex III was identified as off-target of statin lactones•Mitochondrial complex III activity is lowered in statin-induced myopathy patients•Inhibition could be attenuated by convergent electron flow into complex III
Statin-induced myopathies are the most common side effects of these widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs, affecting millions of patients. Schirris et al. identified the Qo site of mitochondrial complex III as off-target of statin lactones and show possible mechanisms for the attenuation of their inhibitory effect.
Myomerger is a muscle-specific membrane protein involved in formation of multinucleated muscle cells by mediating the transition from the early hemifusion stage to complete fusion. Here, we ...considered the physical mechanism of the Myomerger action based on the hypothesis that Myomerger shifts the spontaneous curvature of the outer membrane leaflets to more positive values. We predicted, theoretically, that Myomerger generates the outer leaflet elastic stresses, which propagate into the hemifusion diaphragm and accelerate the fusion pore formation. We showed that Myomerger ectodomain indeed generates positive spontaneous curvature of lipid monolayers. We substantiated the mechanism by experiments on myoblast fusion and influenza hemagglutinin-mediated cell fusion. In both processes, the effects of Myomerger ectodomain were strikingly similar to those of lysophosphatidylcholine known to generate a positive spontaneous curvature of lipid monolayers. The control of post-hemifusion stages by shifting the spontaneous curvature of proximal membrane monolayers may be utilized in diverse fusion processes.
Thyroid hormone (TH) and autophagy share similar functions in regulating skeletal muscle growth, regeneration, and differentiation. Although TH recently has been shown to increase autophagy in liver, ...the regulation and role of autophagy by this hormone in skeletal muscle is not known. Here, using both in vitro and in vivo models, we demonstrated that TH induces autophagy in a dose- and time-dependent manner in skeletal muscle. TH induction of autophagy involved reactive oxygen species (ROS) stimulation of 5′adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)- Unc-51-like kinase 1 (Ulk1) signaling. TH also increased mRNA and protein expression of key autophagy genes, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), Sequestosome 1 (p62), and Ulk1, as well as genes that modulated autophagy and Forkhead box O (FOXO) 1/3a. TH increased mitochondrial protein synthesis and number as well as basal mitochondrial O2 consumption, ATP turnover, and maximal respiratory capacity. Surprisingly, mitochondrial activity and biogenesis were blunted when autophagy was blocked in muscle cells by Autophagy-related gene (Atg)5 short hairpin RNA (shRNA). Induction of ROS and 5′adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by TH played a significant role in the up-regulation of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PPARGC1A), the key regulator of mitochondrial synthesis. In summary, our findings showed that TH-mediated autophagy was essential for stimulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and activity in skeletal muscle. Moreover, autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis were coupled in skeletal muscle via TH induction of mitochondrial activity and ROS generation.
MicroRNAs are well known to mediate translational repression and mRNA degradation in the cytoplasm. Various microRNAs have also been detected in membrane-compartmentalized organelles, but the ...functional significance has remained elusive. Here, we report that miR-1, a microRNA specifically induced during myogenesis, efficiently enters the mitochondria where it unexpectedly stimulates, rather than represses, the translation of specific mitochondrial genome-encoded transcripts. We show that this positive effect requires specific miR:mRNA base-pairing and Ago2, but not its functional partner GW182, which is excluded from the mitochondria. We provide evidence for the direct action of Ago2 in mitochondrial translation by crosslinking immunoprecipitation coupled with deep sequencing (CLIP-seq), functional rescue with mitochondria-targeted Ago2, and selective inhibition of the microRNA machinery in the cytoplasm. These findings unveil a positive function of microRNA in mitochondrial translation and suggest a highly coordinated myogenic program via miR-1-mediated translational stimulation in the mitochondria and repression in the cytoplasm.
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•miR-1, Argonaute 2, but not GW182, are localized in the mitochondria•Argonaute 2 binds mitochondrial transcripts and ribosomal RNAs•microRNAs are able to directly enhance mitochondrial translation•miR-1 mediates a coordinated myogenic program for muscle differentiation
Ago2 and microRNA are present in mitochondria where they promote translation of target transcripts during muscle differentiation. The same miRNA that enhances target translation in mitochondria has a repressive role in the cytoplasm.
Dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle degeneration and weakness as consequence of their molecular abnormalities. Thus, new drugs for restoring skeletal muscle deterioration are ...critically needed. To identify new and alternative compounds with a functional role in skeletal muscle myogenesis, we screened a library of pharmacologically active compounds and selected the small molecule 6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime (BIO) as an inhibitor of myoblast proliferation. Using C2C12 cells, we examined BIO's effect during myoblast proliferation and differentiation showing that BIO treatment promotes transition from cell proliferation to myogenic differentiation through the arrest of cell cycle. Here, we show that BIO is able to promote myogenic differentiation in damaged myotubes in-vitro by enriching the population of newly formed skeletal muscle myotubes. Moreover, in-vivo experiments in CTX-damaged TA muscle confirmed the pro-differentiation capability of BIO as shown by the increasing of the percentage of myofibers with centralized nuclei as well as by the increasing of myofibers number. Additionally, we have identified a strong correlation of miR-206 with BIO treatment both in-vitro and in-vivo: the enhanced expression of miR-206 was observed in-vitro in BIO-treated proliferating myoblasts, miR-206 restored expression was observed in a forced miR-206 silencing conditions antagomiR-mediated upon BIO treatment, and in-vivo in CTX-injured muscles miR-206 enhanced expression was observed upon BIO treatment. Taken together, our results highlight the capacity of BIO to act as a positive modulator of skeletal muscle differentiation in-vitro and in-vivo opening up a new perspective for novel therapeutic targets to correct skeletal muscle defects.
We previously reported that excess retinoic acid (RA) resulted in hypoplastic and derangement of myofilaments in embryonic tongue by inhibiting myogenic proliferation and differentiation through ...CamKIID pathway. Our further studies revealed that the expression of a series of miRNAs was altered by RA administration in embryonic tongue as well as in C2C12 cells. Thus, if excess RA impairs myogenic proliferation and differentiation through miRNAs is taken into account. In present study, miR-27b-3p was found up-regulated in RA-treated C2C12 cells as in embryonic tongue, and predicted to target the 3′UTR of α-dystrobrevin (DTNA). Luciferase reporter assays confirmed the direct interaction between miR-27b-3p and the 3′UTR of DTNA. MiR-27b-3p mimics recapitulated the RA repression on DTNA expression, C2C12 proliferation and differentiation, while the miR-27b-3p inhibitor circumvented these defects resulting from excess RA. As expected, the effects of siDTNA on C2C12 were coincided with those by RA treatment or miR-27b-3p mimics. Therefore, these findings indicated that excess RA inhibited the myoblast proliferation and differentiation by up-regulating miR-27b-3p to target DTNA, which implied a new mechanism in myogenic hypoplasia.
•A mechanism that RA results in tongue deformity by disrupting the myogenesis.•A non-muscle specific miR mediating the RA suppression on tongue myogenesis.•A target gene of non-muscle specific miR involved in RA induced tongue deformity.
Metal‐regulatory transcription factor 1 (MTF1) is a conserved metal‐binding transcription factor in eukaryotes that binds to conserved DNA sequence motifs, termed metal response elements. MTF1 ...responds to both metal excess and deprivation, protects cells from oxidative and hypoxic stresses, and is required for embryonic development in vertebrates. To examine the role for MTF1 in cell differentiation, we use multiple experimental strategies including gene knockdown (KD) mediated by small hairpin RNA and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR‐associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9), immunofluorescence, chromatin immunopreciptation sequencing, subcellular fractionation, and atomic absorbance spectroscopy and report a previously unappreciated role for MTF1 and copper (Cu) in cell differentiation. Upon initiation of myogenesis from primary myoblasts, both MTF1 expression and nuclear localization increased. Mtf1 KD impaired differentiation, whereas addition of nontoxic concentrations of Cu+‐enhanced MTF1 expression and promoted myogenesis. Furthermore, we observed that Cu+ binds stoichiometrically to a C terminus tetra‐cysteine of MTF1. MTF1 bound to chromatin at the promoter regions of myogenic genes, and Cu addition stimulated this binding. Of note, MTF1 formed a complex with myogenic differentiation (MYOD)1, the master transcriptional regulator of the myogenic lineage, at myogenic promoters. These findings uncover unexpected mechanisms by which Cu and MTF1 regulate gene expression during myoblast differentiation.—Tavera‐Montañez, C., Hainer, S. J., Cangussu, D., Gordon, S. J. V., Xiao, Y., Reyes‐Gutierrez, P., Imbalzano, A. N., Navea, J. G., Fazzio, T. G., Padilla‐Benavides, T. The classic metal‐sensing transcription factor MTF1 promotes myogenesis in response to copper. FASEB J. 33, 14556‐14574 (2019). www.fasebj.org
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) constitute a family of transcripts with unique structures and still largely unknown functions. Their biogenesis, which proceeds via a back-splicing reaction, is fairly well ...characterized, whereas their role in the modulation of physiologically relevant processes is still unclear. Here we performed expression profiling of circRNAs during in vitro differentiation of murine and human myoblasts, and we identified conserved species regulated in myogenesis and altered in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A high-content functional genomic screen allowed the study of their functional role in muscle differentiation. One of them, circ-ZNF609, resulted in specifically controlling myoblast proliferation. Circ-ZNF609 contains an open reading frame spanning from the start codon, in common with the linear transcript, and terminating at an in-frame STOP codon, created upon circularization. Circ-ZNF609 is associated with heavy polysomes, and it is translated into a protein in a splicing-dependent and cap-independent manner, providing an example of a protein-coding circRNA in eukaryotes.
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•CircRNAs are conserved, abundant, and regulated in myogenesis•High-throughput phenotypic screening reveals functional circRNAs•Circ-ZNF609 regulates myoblast proliferation•Circ-ZNF609 can be translated
Legnini et al. identified circ-ZNF609, a circular RNA expressed in murine and human myoblasts, which controls myoblast proliferation. Circ-ZNF609 contains an open reading frame and is translated into a protein in a splicing-dependent/cap-independent manner. Circ-ZNF609 translation can be modulated by stress conditions.