bims-moremu 2021-07-18 papers

bims-moremu

Biomed News

on Molecular regulators of muscle mass

Issue of 2021‒07‒18
33 papers selected by
Anna Vainshtein
Craft Science Inc.

Wheel running improves fasting-induced AMPK signaling in skeletal muscle from tumor-bearing mice.
Regulation of muscle and mitochondrial health by the mitochondrial fission protein Drp1 in aged mice.
The mitochondrial calcium homeostasis orchestra plays its symphony: Skeletal muscle is the guest of honor.
Muscle weakness caused by cancer and chemotherapy is associated with loss of motor unit connectivity.
CircRNA FUT10 regulates the regenerative potential of aged skeletal muscle stem cells by targeting HOXA9.
Murine models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy: is there a best model?
MiR-29ab1 Cluster Resists Muscle Atrophy Through Inhibiting MuRF1.
Inhibition of HSP90 reverses STAT3-mediated muscle wasting in cancer cachexia mice.
Hypoxic Signaling in Skeletal Muscle Maintenance and Regeneration: A Systematic Review.
Exogenous insulin-like growth factor 1 attenuates cisplatin-induced muscle atrophy in mice.
Hormonally regulated myogenic miR-486 influences sex-specific differences in cancer-induced skeletal muscle defects.
Molecular and cellular basis of genetically inherited skeletal muscle disorders.
Dact1 is expressed during chicken and mouse skeletal myogenesis and modulated in human muscle diseases.
Satellite cell and myonuclear accretion is related to training-induced skeletal muscle fiber hypertrophy in young males and females.
Prednisolone rescues Duchenne muscular dystrophy phenotypes in human pluripotent stem cell-derived skeletal muscle in vitro.
Effects of fasting on skeletal muscles and body fat of adult and old C57BL/6J mice.
Epigenetic rewiring of skeletal muscle enhancers after exercise training supports a role in whole-body function and human health.
Into the spotlight: RGK proteins in skeletal muscle.
CTG-Repeat Detection in Primary Human Myoblasts of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1.
Systemic delivery of a mitochondria targeted antioxidant partially preserves limb muscle mass and grip strength in response to androgen deprivation.
Metformin in combination with genistein ameliorates skeletal muscle inflammation in high-fat diet fed c57BL/6 mice.
A universal gene correction approach for FKRP-associated dystroglycanopathies to enable autologous cell therapy.
Muscle Cryoinjury and Quantification of Regenerating Myofibers in Mice.
Possible involvement of CXC motif chemokine ligand 10 in exercise-induced collagen production of mouse dermal fibroblasts.
In vivo cooling-induced intracellular Ca2+ elevation and tension in rat skeletal muscle.
In vivo mitochondrial ATP production is improved in older adult skeletal muscle after a single dose of elamipretide in a randomized trial.
Finite element analysis predicts Ca2+ microdomains within tubular-sarcoplasmic reticular junctions of amphibian skeletal muscle.
The molecular signature of high-intensity interval training in the human body.
Nicotinamide Riboside Vitamin B3 Mitigated C26 Adenocarcinoma-Induced Cancer Cachexia.
Initiating aerobic exercise with low glycogen content reduces markers of myogenesis but not mTORC1 signaling.
Maintenance of Muscle Mass and Cardiorespiratory Fitness to Cancer Patients During COVID-19 Era and After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine.
Growth hormone secretagogue receptor-1a mediates ghrelin's effects on attenuating tumour-induced loss of muscle strength but not muscle mass.
Disruption of Drosophila larval muscle structure and function by UNC45 knockdown.

Physiol Rep. 2021 Jul;9(14): e14924

Wheel running improves fasting-induced AMPK signaling in skeletal muscle from tumor-bearing mice.

Dennis K Fix, Brittany R Counts, Ashley J Smuder, Mark A Sarzynski, Ho-Jin Koh, James A Carson.

  Disruptions to muscle protein turnover and metabolic regulation contribute to muscle wasting during the progression of cancer cachexia. The initiation of cachexia is also associated with decreased physical activity. While chronic muscle AMPK activation occurs during cachexia progression in ApcMin /+ (MIN) mice, a preclinical cachexia model, the understanding of muscle AMPK's role during cachexia initiation is incomplete. Therefore, we examined if voluntary wheel exercise could improve skeletal muscle AMPK signaling in pre-cachectic MIN mice. Next, we examined muscle AMPK's role in aberrant catabolic signaling in response to a 12-h fast in mice initiating cachexia. Male C57BL/6 (B6: N = 26) and MIN (N = 29) mice were subjected to ad libitum feeding, 12-h fast, or 4 wks. of wheel access and then a 12-h fast during the initiation of cachexia. Male tamoxifen-inducible skeletal muscle AMPKα1 α2 (KO) knockout mice crossed with ApcMin /+ and floxed controls were examined (WT: N = 8, KO: N = 8, MIN: N = 10, MIN KO: N = 6). Male mice underwent a 12-h fast and the gastrocnemius muscle was analyzed. MIN gastrocnemius mass was reduced compared to B6 mice. A 12-h fast induced MIN muscle AMPKT172 , FOXOS413 , and ULK-1S555 phosphorylation compared to B6. Wheel running attenuated these inductions. A 12-h fast induced MIN muscle MuRF-1 protein expression compared to B6 and was suppressed by wheel running. Additionally, fasting induced muscle autophagy signaling and disrupted mitochondrial quality protein expression in the MIN, which was prevented in the MIN KO. We provide evidence that increased skeletal muscle AMPK sensitivity to a 12-h fast is an adverse event in pre-cachectic MIN mice, and exercise can improve this regulation.

Keywords:  cachexia; muscle wasting; physical activity; protein breakdown

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14924
J Physiol. 2021 Jul 16.

Regulation of muscle and mitochondrial health by the mitochondrial fission protein Drp1 in aged mice.

Maude Dulac, Jean-Philippe Leduc-Gaudet, Marina Cefis, Marie-Belle Ayoub, Olivier Reynaud, Anwar Shams, Alaa Moamer, Marcos Francisco Nery Ferreira, Sabah Na Hussain, Gilles Gouspillou.

  KEY POINTS: The maintenance of mitochondrial integrity is critical for skeletal muscle health. Mitochondrial dynamics play key roles in mitochondrial quality control; however, the exact role that mitochondrial fission plays in the muscle aging process remains unclear. Here we report that both Drp1 knockdown and overexpression late in life in mice is detrimental to skeletal muscle function and mitochondrial health. Drp1 knockdown in 18-month-old mice resulted in severe skeletal muscle atrophy, mitochondrial dysfunction, muscle degeneration/regeneration, oxidative stress, and impaired autophagy. Overexpressing Drp1 in 18-month-old mice resulted in mild skeletal muscle atrophy and decreased mitochondrial quality. Our data indicate that silencing or overexpressing Drp1 late in life is detrimental to skeletal muscle integrity. We conclude that modulating Drp1 expression is unlikely to be a viable approach to counter the muscle aging process.ABSTRACT: Sarcopenia, the aging-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, is a debilitating process negatively impacting s the quality of life of afflicted individuals. Although the mechanisms underlying sarcopenia are still only partly understood, impairments in mitochondrial dynamics, and specifically mitochondrial fission, have been proposed as an underlying mechanism. Importantly, conflicting data exist in the field and both excessive and insufficient mitochondrial fission were proposed to contribute to sarcopenia. In D. Melanogaster, enhancing mitochondrial fission in midlife through overexpression of dynamin-1-like protein (Drp1) extended lifespan and attenuated several key hallmarks of muscle aging. Whether a similar outcome of Drp1 overexpression is observed in mammalian muscles remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the impact of knocking down and overexpressing Drp1 protein for 4 months in skeletal muscles of late middle-aged (18 months) mice using intra-muscular injections of adeno-associated viruses expressing shRNA targeting Drp1 or full Drp1 cDNA. We report that knocking down Drp1 expression late in life triggers severe muscle atrophy, mitochondrial dysfunctions, degeneration/regeneration, oxidative stress and impaired autophagy. Drp1 overexpression late in life triggered mild muscle atrophy and decreased mitochondrial quality. Taken altogether, our results indicate that both overexpression or silencing Drp1 in late middle-aged mice negatively impact skeletal muscle mass and mitochondrial health. These data suggest that Drp1 content must remain within a narrow physiological range to preserve muscle and mitochondrial integrity during aging. Altering Drp1 expression is therefore unlikely to be a viable target to counter sarcopenia. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Keywords:  autophagy; mitochondrial dynamics; mitochondrial fission; myopathic phenotype; oxidative stress; skeletal muscle aging; skeletal muscle atrophy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1113/JP281752
Int Rev Cell Mol Biol. 2021 ;pii: S1937-6448(21)00037-X. [Epub ahead of print]362 209-259

The mitochondrial calcium homeostasis orchestra plays its symphony: Skeletal muscle is the guest of honor.

Gaia Gherardi, Agnese De Mario, Cristina Mammucari.

  Skeletal muscle mitochondria are placed in close proximity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), the main intracellular Ca2+ store. During muscle activity, excitation of sarcolemma and of T-tubule triggers the release of Ca2+ from the SR initiating myofiber contraction. The rise in cytosolic Ca2+ determines the opening of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), the highly selective channel of the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM), causing a robust increase in mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. The Ca2+-dependent activation of TCA cycle enzymes increases the synthesis of ATP required for SERCA activity. Thus, Ca2+ is transported back into the SR and cytosolic [Ca2+] returns to resting levels eventually leading to muscle relaxation. In recent years, thanks to the molecular identification of MCU complex components, the role of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in the pathophysiology of skeletal muscle has been uncovered. In this chapter, we will introduce the reader to a general overview of mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation. We will tackle the key molecular players and the cellular and pathophysiological consequences of mitochondrial Ca2+ dyshomeostasis. In the second part of the chapter, we will discuss novel findings on the physiological role of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in skeletal muscle. Finally, we will examine the involvement of mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling in muscle diseases.

Keywords:  Central core disease; Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake; Mitochondrial calcium uniporter; Muscular dystrophy; Skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.ircmb.2021.03.005
Am J Cancer Res. 2021 ;11(6): 2990-3001

Muscle weakness caused by cancer and chemotherapy is associated with loss of motor unit connectivity.

Joshua R Huot, Fabrizio Pin, Andrea Bonetto.

Skeletal muscle wasting and weakness caused by cancer and its treatments (known as "cachexia") drastically impair quality of life and worsen survival outcomes in cancer patients. There are currently no approved treatments for cachexia. Hence, further investigation into the causes of cachexia induced by cancer and chemotherapy is warranted. Here, we sought to investigate skeletal muscle wasting, weakness and loss of motor unit function in mice bearing cancers or administered chemotherapeutics. Mice bearing colorectal cancers, including C26, MC38 and HCT116, and mice receiving the chemotherapeutics folfiri and cisplatin were assessed for in vivo and ex vivo muscle force, and for in vivo electrophysiological indices of motor unit connectivity, including compound muscle action potential and motor unit number estimation (MUNE). In vivo and ex vivo muscle force, as well as MUNE were reduced in C26, MC38, HCT116 hosts, and in mice receiving folfiri and cisplatin compared to their respective experimental controls. In addition, MUNE was correlated with muscle force and muscle mass in all experimental conditions, while assessment of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) protein expression and changes in presynaptic morphology suggested that cancer and chemotherapy significantly alter muscle innervation. The present results demonstrate that the loss of motor unit connectivity may contribute to skeletal muscle wasting and weakness that occur with cancer and chemotherapy.

Keywords: Cachexia; cancer; chemotherapy; motor unit; muscle weakness
Aging (Albany NY). 2021 Jul 13. 13

CircRNA FUT10 regulates the regenerative potential of aged skeletal muscle stem cells by targeting HOXA9.

Menghai Zhu, Chong Lian, Gang Chen, Peng Zou, Beng Gang Qin.

  Skeletal muscle is capable of repairing itself after injury to maintain the stability of its own tissue, but this ability declines with aging. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in cell aging. However, there is little research into their role and underlying mechanisms, especially in skeletal muscle stem cells (SkMSCs). In this study, we assessed circRNA FUT10 expression in aged and adult SkMSCs. We observed that circRNA FUT10 was upregulated in aged SkMSCs compared with that in adult SkMSCs. Furthermore, we identified putative miR-365-3p binding sites on circRNA FUT10, suggesting that this circRNA sponges miR-365a-3p. We also found that HOXA9 is a downstream target of miR-365a-3p and confirmed that miR-365a-3p can bind to circRNA FUT10 and the 3'-untranslated region of HOXA9 mRNA. This finding indicated that miR-365a-3p might serve as a "bridge" between circRNA FUT10 and HOXA9. Finally, we found that the circRNA FUT10/miR365a-3p/HOXA9 axis is involved in SkMSC aging. Collectively, our results show that the circRNA FUT10/miR365a-3p/HOXA9 axis is a promising therapeutic target and are expected to facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies to improve the prognosis of degenerative muscle disease.

Keywords:  HOXA9; aging; circRNA FUT10; skeletal muscle stem cells

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.203233
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2021 Jul 14.

Murine models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy: is there a best model?

Kristy Swiderski, Gordon S Lynch.

  N/A.

Keywords:  mdx; mouse models of disease; muscular dystrophy; pathophysiology; skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00212.2021
DNA Cell Biol. 2021 Jul 13.

MiR-29ab1 Cluster Resists Muscle Atrophy Through Inhibiting MuRF1.

Chuncheng Liu, Lei Li, Mengxu Ge, Lijie Gu, Kuo Zhang, Yang Su, Yuying Zhang, Chang Liu, Miaomiao Lan, Yingying Yu, Tongtong Wang, Bing Zhang, Guangbin Zhou, Qingyong Meng.

  Skeletal muscle has great plasticity. An increase in protein degradation can cause muscle atrophy. Atrogin-1 and muscle ring finger-1 (MuRF1) are dramatically upregulated in various muscle atrophy. Inhibition of Atrogin-1 and MuRF1 protects against muscle atrophy. MiR-29 plays an important regulatory role in skeletal muscle development. However, the function of miR-29 in skeletal muscle protein metabolism is not clear. To investigate the function of miR-29, we generated miR-29 knockout mice and the miR-29ab1 cluster overexpression mice. The disruption of miR-29 led to severe atrophy of skeletal muscle during puberty, and the muscle-specific overexpression of the miR-29ab1 cluster protected against denervation-induced and fasting-induced muscle atrophy. Furthermore, the overexpression of miR-29a, b mimics in myotubes resisted the muscle atrophy. MuRF1 was the direct target gene of miR-29a, b. These results demonstrate that miR-29ab1 cluster plays a critical role in the maintenance of skeletal muscle. MiR-29ab1 cluster is the excellent inhibitor of MuRF1, ultimately indicating that miR-29ab1 cluster is good therapeutic molecule candidate for adulthood.

Keywords:  MuRF1; denervation; fasting; miR-29ab1 cluster; muscle atrophy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1089/dna.2021.0267
Br J Pharmacol. 2021 Jul 15.

Inhibition of HSP90 reverses STAT3-mediated muscle wasting in cancer cachexia mice.

Mengyuan Niu, Shiyu Song, Zhonglan Su, Lulu Wei, Li Li, Wenyuan Pu, Chen Zhao, Yibing Ding, Jinglin Wang, Wangsen Cao, Qian Gao, Hongwei Wang.

  BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cancer cachexia is one of the most common causes of death among cancer patients; no effective anti-cachectic treatment is currently available. In experimental cachectic animal models, aberrant activation of STAT3 in skeletal muscle has been found to contribute to muscle wasting. However, its clinical association, the factors regulating STAT3 activation, and the molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood.EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The expression of HSP90 and the activation of STAT3 were detected in muscle from the patients with cancer cachexia or the tumour-bearing cachectic mice. HSP90 inhibitors, including 17DMAG and PU-H71, were administered to cachexic mice, and cachexia parameters, such as weight loss, food intake, survival rate, body composition, serum metabolites, muscle wasting pathology, and catabolic activation, were measured and analyzed. The in vitro coculture of C2C12 myotube cells with C26 conditioned media (CM) was performed to address the pathological mechanism of catabolic muscle wasting. The roles of HSP90, STAT3, and FOXO1 in myotube atrophy were explored via overexpression or knockdown.
RESULTS: Here, we show that an enhanced interaction between activated STAT3 and HSP90, which were observed in the skeletal muscle of cancer cachexia patients, is a crucial event for the development of cachectic muscle wasting. Administration of HSP90 inhibitors 17DMAG and PU-H71 alleviated the muscle wasting in C26 and LLC tumor-bearing cachectic mice models or the myotube atrophy of C2C12 cells induced by C26 conditional medium. Prolonged STAT3 activation transactivated FOXO1 by binding directly to its promoter and triggered the muscle wasting in a FOXO1-dependent manner in muscle cells.
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Our results demonstrate that the HSP90/STAT3/FOXO1 axis plays a critical role in cachectic muscle wasting, which might serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cancer cachexia.

Keywords:  Cancer cachexia; FOXO1; HSP90; Muscle wasting; STAT3

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.15625
Front Physiol. 2021 ;12 684899

Hypoxic Signaling in Skeletal Muscle Maintenance and Regeneration: A Systematic Review.

Tamara Pircher, Henning Wackerhage, Attila Aszodi, Christian Kammerlander, Wolfgang Böcker, Maximilian Michael Saller.

  In skeletal muscle tissue, oxygen (O2) plays a pivotal role in both metabolism and the regulation of several intercellular pathways, which can modify proliferation, differentiation and survival of cells within the myogenic lineage. The concentration of oxygen in muscle tissue is reduced during embryogenesis and pathological conditions. Myogenic progenitor cells, namely satellite cells, are necessary for muscular regeneration in adults and are localized in a hypoxic microenvironment under the basal lamina, suggesting that the O2 level could affect their function. This review presents the effects of reduced oxygen levels (hypoxia) on satellite cell survival, myoblast regeneration and differentiation in vertebrates. Further investigations and understanding of the pathways involved in adult muscle regeneration during hypoxic conditions are maybe clinically relevant to seek for novel drug treatments for patients with severe muscle damage. We especially outlined the effect of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1A), the most studied transcriptional regulator of cellular and developmental response to hypoxia, whose investigation has recently been awarded with the Nobel price.

Keywords:  HIF1A; fusion; hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha; muscle regeneration; satellite cells

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.684899
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2021 Jul 16.

Exogenous insulin-like growth factor 1 attenuates cisplatin-induced muscle atrophy in mice.

Hiroyasu Sakai, Maho Asami, Hiroaki Naito, Satoko Kitora, Yuta Suzuki, Yu Miyauchi, Rei Tachinooka, Satoshi Yoshida, Risako Kon, Nobutomo Ikarashi, Yoshihiko Chiba, Junzo Kamei.

  BACKGROUND: A reduction in the skeletal muscle mass worsens the prognosis of patients with various cancers. Our previous studies indicated that cisplatin administration to mice caused muscle atrophy. This is a concern for human patients receiving cisplatin. The insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway stimulates the rate of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle. Thus, IGF-I can be a central therapeutic target for preventing the loss of skeletal muscle mass in muscle atrophy, although it remains unclear whether pharmacological activation of the IGF-1/PI3K/Akt pathway attenuates muscle atrophy induced by cisplatin. In this study, we examined whether exogenous recombinant human IGF-1 attenuated cisplatin-induced muscle atrophy.METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice (8-9 weeks old) were injected with cisplatin or saline for four consecutive days. On Day 5, quadriceps muscles were isolated. Mecasermin (recombinant human IGF-1) or the vehicle control was subcutaneously administered 30 min prior to cisplatin administration. A dietary restriction group achieving weight loss equivalent to that caused by cisplatin administration was used as a second control. C2C12 myotubes were treated with cisplatin with/without recombinant mouse IGF-1. The skeletal muscle protein synthesis/degradation pathway was analysed by histological and biochemical methods.
RESULTS: Cisplatin reduced protein level of IGF-1 by about 85% compared with the vehicle group and also reduced IGF-1/PI3K/Akt signalling in skeletal muscle. Under this condition, the protein levels of muscle ring finger protein 1 (MuRF1) and atrophy gene 1 (atrogin-1) were increased in quadriceps muscles (MuRF1; 3.0 ± 0.1 folds, atrogin-1; 3.0 ± 0.3 folds, P < 0.001, respectively). The administration of a combination of cisplatin and IGF-1 significantly suppressed the cisplatin-induced downregulation of IGF-1/PI3K/Akt signalling and upregulation of MuRF1 and atrogin-1 (up to 1.6 ± 0.3 and 1.5 ± 0.4 folds, P < 0.001, respectively), resulting in diminished muscular atrophy. IGF-1 showed similar effects in cisplatin-treated C2C12 myotubes, as well as the quadriceps muscle in mice.
CONCLUSIONS: The downregulation of IGF-1 expression in skeletal muscle might be one of the factors playing an important role in the development of cisplatin-induced muscular atrophy. Compensating for this downregulation with exogenous IGF-1 suggests that it could be a therapeutic target for limiting the loss of skeletal muscle mass in cisplatin-induced muscle atrophy.

Keywords:  Cisplatin; Insulin-like growth factor 1; Mecasermin; Muscle atrophy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12760
Endocrinology. 2021 Jul 15. pii: bqab142. [Epub ahead of print]

Hormonally regulated myogenic miR-486 influences sex-specific differences in cancer-induced skeletal muscle defects.

Ruizhong Wang, Poornima Bhat-Nakshatri, Xiaoling Zhong, Teresa Zimmers, Harikrishna Nakshatri.

  Cancer-induced skeletal muscle defects show sex-specific differences in severity with men performing poorly compared to women. Hormones and sex chromosomal differences are suggested to mediate these differences, but the functional skeletal muscle markers to document these differences are unknown. We show that the myogenic microRNA miR-486 is a marker of sex-specific differences in cancer-induced skeletal muscle defects. Cancer-induced loss of circulating miR-486 was more severe in men with bladder, lung and pancreatic cancers compared to women with the same cancer types. In syngeneic model of pancreatic cancer, circulating and skeletal muscle loss of miR-486 was more severe in male mice compared to female mice. Estradiol (E2) and the clinically used selective estrogen receptor modulator toremifene increased miR-486 in undifferentiated and differentiated myoblast cell line C2C12 and E2-inducible expression correlated with direct binding of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) to the regulatory region of miR-486 gene. E2 and toremifene reduced the actions of cytokines such as myostatin, TGFβ and TNFα, which mediate cancer-induced skeletal muscle wasting. E2 and toremifene treated C2C12 myoblast/myotube cells contained elevated levels of active AKT with corresponding decrease in the levels of its negative regulator PTEN, which is a target of miR-486. We propose an ERα:E2-miR-486-AKT signaling axis, which reduces the deleterious effects of cancer-induced cytokines/chemokines on skeletal muscle mass and/or function.

Keywords:  breast cancer; estradiol; miR-486; skeletal muscle; systemic effects

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1210/endocr/bqab142
Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2021 Jul 13.

Molecular and cellular basis of genetically inherited skeletal muscle disorders.

James J Dowling, Conrad C Weihl, Melissa J Spencer.

Neuromuscular disorders comprise a diverse group of human inborn diseases that arise from defects in the structure and/or function of the muscle tissue - encompassing the muscle cells (myofibres) themselves and their extracellular matrix - or muscle fibre innervation. Since the identification in 1987 of the first genetic lesion associated with a neuromuscular disorder - mutations in dystrophin as an underlying cause of Duchenne muscular dystrophy - the field has made tremendous progress in understanding the genetic basis of these diseases, with pathogenic variants in more than 500 genes now identified as underlying causes of neuromuscular disorders. The subset of neuromuscular disorders that affect skeletal muscle are referred to as myopathies or muscular dystrophies, and are due to variants in genes encoding muscle proteins. Many of these proteins provide structural stability to the myofibres or function in regulating sarcolemmal integrity, whereas others are involved in protein turnover, intracellular trafficking, calcium handling and electrical excitability - processes that ensure myofibre resistance to stress and their primary activity in muscle contraction. In this Review, we discuss how defects in muscle proteins give rise to muscle dysfunction, and ultimately to disease, with a focus on pathologies that are most common, best understood and that provide the most insight into muscle biology.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-021-00389-z
Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol. 2021 Jul 09. pii: S1096-4959(21)00084-1. [Epub ahead of print] 110645

Dact1 is expressed during chicken and mouse skeletal myogenesis and modulated in human muscle diseases.

Renata Erbert Contriciani, Fernanda Cristina da Veiga, Mariana Juliani do Amaral, Bianca Gazieri Castelucci, Lizandra Maia de Sousa, Marcelo Bispo de Jesus, Sílvio Roberto Consonni, Carla Beatriz Collares-Buzato, Cláudia Mermelstein, Susanne Dietrich, Lúcia Elvira Alvares.

  Vertebrate skeletal muscle development and repair relies on the precise control of Wnt signaling. Dact1 (Dapper/Frodo) is an important modulator of Wnt signaling, interacting with key components of the various Wnt transduction pathways. Here, we characterized Dact1 mRNA and protein expression in chicken and mouse fetal muscles in vivo and during the differentiation of chick primary and mouse C2C12 myoblasts in vitro. We also performed in silico analysis to investigate Dact1 gene expression in human myopathies, and evaluated the Dact1 protein structure to seek an explanation for the accumulation of Dact1 protein aggregates in the nuclei of myogenic cells. Our results show for the first time that in both chicken and mouse, Dact1 is expressed during myogenesis, with a strong upregulation as cells engage in terminal differentiation, cell cycle withdrawal and cell fusion. In humans, Dact1 expression was found to be altered in specific muscle pathologies, including muscular dystrophies. Our bioinformatic analyses of Dact1 proteins revealed long intrinsically disordered regions, which may underpin the ability of Dact1 to interact with its many partners in the various Wnt pathways. In addition, we found that Dact1 has strong propensity for liquid-liquid phase separation, a feature that explains its ability to form nuclear aggregates and points to a possible role as a molecular 'on'-'off' switch. Taken together, our data suggest Dact1 as a candidate, multi-faceted regulator of amniote myogenesis with a possible pathophysiological role in human muscular diseases.

Keywords:  C2C12 cells; Chicken primary myoblast; Dact1; Intrinsically disordered proteins; Muscular diseases; Skeletal myogenesis; Wnt signaling

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110645
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2021 Jul 15.

Satellite cell and myonuclear accretion is related to training-induced skeletal muscle fiber hypertrophy in young males and females.

Sidney Abou Sawan, Nathan Hodson, Paul Babits, Julia M Malowany, Dinesh A Kumbhare, Daniel R Moore.

  Satellite cells (SC) play an integral role in the recovery from skeletal muscle damage and supporting muscle hypertrophy. Acute resistance exercise typically elevates type I and type II SC content 24-96 hours post-exercise in healthy young males, although comparable research in females is lacking. We aimed to elucidate whether sex-based differences exist in fiber type-specific SC content after resistance exercise in the untrained (UT) and trained (T) states. Ten young males (23.0 ± 4.0y) and females (23.0 ± 4.8y) completed an acute bout of resistance exercise before and after 8 weeks of whole-body resistance training. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis immediately prior to and 24 and 48-hours after each bout to determine SC and myonuclear content by immunohistochemistry. Males had greater SC associated with type II fibers (P ≤ 0.03). There was no effect of acute resistance exercise on SC content in either fiber type (P ≥ 0.58) for either sex, however, training increased SC in type II fibers (P < 0.01) irrespective of sex. The change in mean 0-48 h type II SC was positively correlated with muscle fiber hypertrophy in type II fibers (r = 0.47; P = 0.035). Furthermore, the change in myonuclei per fiber was positively correlated with type I and type II fiber hypertrophy (both r = 0.68; P < 0.01). Our results suggest that SC responses to acute and chronic resistance exercise are similar in males and females and that SC and myonuclear accretion is related to training-induced muscle fiber hypertrophy.

Keywords:  hypertrophy; muscle fibre type; muscle recovery; sex-based differences; stem cell

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00424.2021
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Jul 13. pii: e2022960118. [Epub ahead of print]118(28):

Prednisolone rescues Duchenne muscular dystrophy phenotypes in human pluripotent stem cell-derived skeletal muscle in vitro.

Ziad Al Tanoury, John F Zimmerman, Jyoti Rao, Daniel Sieiro, Harold M McNamara, Thomas Cherrier, Alejandra Rodríguez-delaRosa, Aurore Hick-Colin, Fanny Bousson, Charlotte Fugier-Schmucker, Fabio Marchiano, Bianca Habermann, Jérome Chal, Alexander P Nesmith, Svetlana Gapon, Erica Wagner, Vandana A Gupta, Rhonda Bassel-Duby, Eric N Olson, Adam E Cohen, Kevin Kit Parker, Olivier Pourquié.

  Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating genetic disease leading to degeneration of skeletal muscles and premature death. How dystrophin absence leads to muscle wasting remains unclear. Here, we describe an optimized protocol to differentiate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to a late myogenic stage. This allows us to recapitulate classical DMD phenotypes (mislocalization of proteins of the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex, increased fusion, myofiber branching, force contraction defects, and calcium hyperactivation) in isogenic DMD-mutant iPSC lines in vitro. Treatment of the myogenic cultures with prednisolone (the standard of care for DMD) can dramatically rescue force contraction, fusion, and branching defects in DMD iPSC lines. This argues that prednisolone acts directly on myofibers, challenging the largely prevalent view that its beneficial effects are caused by antiinflammatory properties. Our work introduces a human in vitro model to study the onset of DMD pathology and test novel therapeutic approaches.

Keywords:  Duchenne muscular dystrophy; dystrophin; myogenesis; myopathy; pluripotent stem cell

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2022960118
Exp Gerontol. 2021 Jul 09. pii: S0531-5565(21)00256-4. [Epub ahead of print]152 111474

Effects of fasting on skeletal muscles and body fat of adult and old C57BL/6J mice.

Mindaugas Kvedaras, Petras Minderis, Leonardo Cesanelli, Agne Cekanauskaite, Aivaras Ratkevicius.

  Fasting improves metabolic health, but is also associated with loss of lean body mass. We investigated if old mice are less resistant to fasting-induce muscle wasting than adult mice. We compared changes in skeletal muscles and fat distribution in C57BL/6J mice subjected to 48-hour fasting at adult (6-month old) or old (24-month old) age. Old mice lost less weight (11.9 ± 1.5 vs 16.9 ± 2.8%, p < 0.001) and showed less (p < 0.01) pronounced muscle wasting than adult mice. Extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle force decreased only in adult mice after fasting. Serum IGF-1 levels were higher (p < 0.01) and showed greater (p < 0.01) decline in adult mice compared to old mice. Phosphorylation of 4EBP1 was reduced in the gastrocnemius muscles of adult mice only. Energy expenditure was slower in old mice and showed smaller fasting-induced decline than in adult mice when adjusted for variations in physical activity. There was a loss of fat mass in both age groups, but it was more pronounced in adult mice than old mice. Our results suggest that ageing-related decrease in metabolic rate protects old mice from skeletal muscle wasting during fasting.

Keywords:  Ageing; Fasting; Glucose tolerance; Muscle atrophy; Skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2021.111474
Mol Metab. 2021 Jul 09. pii: S2212-8778(21)00135-6. [Epub ahead of print] 101290

Epigenetic rewiring of skeletal muscle enhancers after exercise training supports a role in whole-body function and human health.

Kristine Williams, Germán D Carrasquilla, Lars Roed Ingerslev, Mette Yde Hochreuter, Svenja Hansson, Nicolas J Pillon, Ida Donkin, Soetkin Versteyhe, Juleen R Zierath, Tuomas O Kilpeläinen, Romain Barrès.

  OBJECTIVES: Regular physical exercise improves health by reducing the risk of a plethora of chronic disorders. We hypothesized that endurance exercise training remodels the activity of gene enhancers in skeletal muscle, and that this remodeling contributes to the beneficial effects of exercise on human health.METHODS AND RESULTS: By studying changes in histone modifications, we mapped the genome-wide positions and activities of enhancers in skeletal muscle biopsies collected from young sedentary men before and after 6 weeks of endurance exercise. We identified extensive remodeling of enhancer activities after exercise training, with a large subset of the remodeled enhancers located in the proximity of genes transcriptionally regulated after exercise. By overlapping the position of enhancers with genetic variants, we identified an enrichment of disease-associated genetic variants within the exercise-remodeled enhancers.
CONCLUSION: Our data provide evidence of a functional link between epigenetic rewiring of enhancers to control their activity after exercise training and the modulation of disease risk in humans.

Keywords:  Enhancers; Exercise; GWAS; Skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101290
Cell Calcium. 2021 Jul 04. pii: S0143-4160(21)00093-2. [Epub ahead of print]98 102439

Into the spotlight: RGK proteins in skeletal muscle.

Daniel R Miranda, Andrew A Voss, Roger A Bannister.

  The RGK (Rad, Rem, Rem2 and Gem/Kir) family of small GTPases are potent endogenous inhibitors of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs). While the impact of RGK proteins on cardiac physiology has been investigated extensively, much less is known regarding their influence on skeletal muscle biology. Thus, the purpose of this article is to establish a basis for future investigation into the role of RGK proteins in regulating the skeletal muscle excitation-contraction (EC) coupling complex via modulation of the L-type CaV1.1 VGCC. The pathological consequences of elevated muscle RGK protein expression in Type II Diabetes, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy and traumatic nerve injury are also discussed.

Keywords:  Ca(V)1.1; Excitation-contraction coupling; RGK protein; Rad; Rem; Skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceca.2021.102439
Front Neurosci. 2021 ;15 686735

CTG-Repeat Detection in Primary Human Myoblasts of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1.

Stefan Hintze, Raphaela Mensel, Lisa Knaier, Benedikt Schoser, Peter Meinke.

  Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant multisystemic disorder caused by unstable CTG-repeat expansions in the DMPK gene. Tissue mosaicism has been described for the length of these repeat expansions. The most obvious affected tissue is skeletal muscle, making it the first target for therapy development. To date there is no approved therapy despite some existing approaches. Thus, there is the demand to further advance therapeutic developments, which will in return require several well-characterized preclinical tools and model systems. Here we describe a modified method to identify the CTG-repeat length in primary human myoblasts isolated from DM1 patients that requires less genomic DNA and avoids radioactive labeling. Using this method, we show that primary human DM1 myoblast cultures represent a population of cells with different CTG-repeat length. Comparing DNA from the identical muscle biopsy specimen, the range of CTG-repeat length in the myoblast culture is within the same range of the muscle biopsy specimen. In conclusion, primary human DM1 myoblast cultures are a well-suited model to investigate certain aspects of the DM1 pathology. They are a useful platform to perform first-line investigations of preclinical therapies.

Keywords:  CTG-repeats; DMPK; myotonic dystrophy type 1; primary human myoblast cultures; repeat detection

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2021.686735
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2021 Jul 07. pii: S0303-7207(21)00235-5. [Epub ahead of print]535 111391

Systemic delivery of a mitochondria targeted antioxidant partially preserves limb muscle mass and grip strength in response to androgen deprivation.

Michael L Rossetti, Kirsten R Dunlap, Gloria Salazar, Robert C Hickner, Jeong-Su Kim, Bryant P Chase, Benjamin F Miller, Bradley S Gordon.

  Muscle mass is important for health. Decreased testicular androgen production (hypogonadism) contributes to the loss of muscle mass, with loss of limb muscle being particularly debilitating. Androgen replacement is the only pharmacological treatment, which may not be feasible for everyone. Prior work showed that markers of reactive oxygen species and markers of mitochondrial degradation pathways were higher in the limb muscle following castration. Therefore, we tested whether an antioxidant preserved limb muscle mass in male mice subjected to a castration surgery. Subsets of castrated mice were treated with resveratrol (a general antioxidant) or MitoQ (a mitochondria targeted antioxidant). Relative to the non-castrated control mice, lean mass, limb muscle mass, and grip strength were partially preserved only in castrated mice treated with MitoQ. Independent of treatment, markers of mitochondrial degradation pathways remained elevated in all castrated mice. Therefore, a mitochondrial targeted antioxidant may partially preserve limb muscle mass in response to hypogonadism.

Keywords:  Hypogonadism; Muscle atrophy; Testosterone

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2021.111391
Cytokine. 2021 Jul 06. pii: S1043-4666(21)00224-6. [Epub ahead of print]146 155638

Metformin in combination with genistein ameliorates skeletal muscle inflammation in high-fat diet fed c57BL/6 mice.

Masoume Aliabadi, Fahimeh Zamani-Garmsiri, Ghodratollah Panahi, Sadra Samavarchi Tehrani, Reza Meshkani.

  Although the beneficial effects of metformin (MET) and genistein in ameliorating inflammation have been elucidated, their combined impacts on skeletal muscle inflammation have not been clearly understood. This study aimed to examine the possible preventive effect of MET in combination with genistein on skeletal muscle inflammation in high-fat diet (HFD) fed C57BL/6 mice. Fifty C57BL/6 male mice were fed on an HFD for 10 weeks. The mice were categorized into five groups, control, HFD, HFD + MET (0.23%), HFD + genistein (0.2%), and HFD + MET + genistein for 12 weeks. The results showed that treatment with MET and genistein, either alone or in combination, led to reduced weight gain, fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, HOMA-IR levels, and Area Under the Curves (AUCs) in ipGTT. MET in combination with genistein demonstrated a decreasing effect on macrophages infiltration rate compared to genistein and MET groups alone. The expression of iNOS was reduced, whereas the expression of M2 macrophage markers was increased in combined treatment of MET and genistein. Furthermore, MET in combination with genistein reduced the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, MCP-1, and IL-6 and increased the expression of IL-10 in comparison with genistein and MET groups alone. Plasma and skeletal muscle triglycerides and intra-myocellular lipid deposition were reversed by treatment with MET and genistein, alone or in combination. These results imply that the combination therapy of MET and genistein may have therapeutic potential for decreasing obesity-induced skeletal muscle inflammation in the HFD-fed model.

Keywords:  Cytokines; Genistein; Macrophages; Metformin; Skeletal muscle inflammation

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cyto.2021.155638
Cell Rep. 2021 Jul 13. pii: S2211-1247(21)00758-0. [Epub ahead of print]36(2): 109360

A universal gene correction approach for FKRP-associated dystroglycanopathies to enable autologous cell therapy.

Neha R Dhoke, Hyunkee Kim, Sridhar Selvaraj, Karim Azzag, Haowen Zhou, Nelio A J Oliveira, Sudheer Tungtur, Carolina Ortiz-Cordero, James Kiley, Qi Long Lu, Anne G Bang, Rita C R Perlingeiro.

  Mutations in the fukutin-related protein (FKRP) gene result in a broad spectrum of muscular dystrophy (MD) phenotypes, including the severe Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS). Here, we develop a gene-editing approach that replaces the entire mutant open reading frame with the wild-type sequence to universally correct all FKRP mutations. We apply this approach to correct FKRP mutations in induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells derived from patients displaying broad clinical severity. Our findings show rescue of functional α-dystroglycan (α-DG) glycosylation in gene-edited WWS iPS cell-derived myotubes. Transplantation of gene-corrected myogenic progenitors in the FKRPP448L-NSG mouse model gives rise to myofiber and satellite cell engraftment and, importantly, restoration of α-DG functional glycosylation in vivo. These findings suggest the potential feasibility of using CRISPR-Cas9 technology in combination with patient-specific iPS cells for the future development of autologous cell transplantation for FKRP-associated MDs.

Keywords:  CRISPR-Cas9; FKRP mutations; WWS; gene editing; muscle engraftment; patient-specific iPS cells; phenotype rescue; satellite cell engraftment; universal correction; α-dystroglycan

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109360
Bio Protoc. 2021 Jun 05. 11(11): e4036

Muscle Cryoinjury and Quantification of Regenerating Myofibers in Mice.

Yori Endo, Mehran Karvar, Indranil Sinha.

  Cryoinjury, or injury due to freezing, is a method of creating reproducible, local injuries in skeletal muscle. This method allows studying the regenerative response following muscle injuries in vivo, thus enabling the evaluation of local and systemic factors that influence the processes of myofiber regeneration. Cryoinjuries are applicable to the study of various modalities of muscle injury, particularly non-traumatic and traumatic injuries, without a loss of substantial volume of muscle mass. Cryoinjury requires only simple instruments and has the advantage over other methods that the extent of the lesion can be easily adjusted and standardized according to the duration of contact with the freezing instrument. The regenerative response can be evaluated histologically by the average maturity of regenerating myofibers as indicated by the cross-sectional areas of myofibers with centrally located nuclei. Accordingly, cryoinjury is regarded as one of the most reliable and easily accessible methods for simulating muscle injuries in studies of muscle regeneration.

Keywords:  Cryoinjury; Muscle injuries; Muscle regeneration; Myofiber regeneration

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.21769/BioProtoc.4036
Endocr J. 2021 Jul 14.

Possible involvement of CXC motif chemokine ligand 10 in exercise-induced collagen production of mouse dermal fibroblasts.

Yuri Ishiuchi-Sato, Taku Nedachi.

  Evidence suggests that exercise can regulate skin functions such as promoting wound healing and inhibiting aging. Physical exercise modulates the secretion of proteins and peptides from skeletal muscles, called myokines, which play a role in transmitting exercise signals throughout the body. Therefore, exercise-regulated myokines may play a role in controlling skin functions; however, the precise mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we focused on the recently identified CXC motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), an exercise-reduced myokine, and attempted to elucidate its role in regulating collagen synthesis in dermal fibroblasts. Mouse C2C12 myotubes were stimulated with or without electrical pulse stimulation (EPS) to induce contraction for 24 h, and conditioned medium was collected (EPS-CM or Ctrl-CM, respectively). The reduction in CXCL10 concentration by EPS was confirmed using ELISA. Next, mouse dermal fibroblasts were isolated from the dorsal skin of C57BL6/J mice (2 weeks old) and were stimulated with Ctrl-CM or EPS-CM for 24 h. EPS-CM treatment significantly increased collagen production compared to Ctrl-CM treatment. Even in the Ctrl-CM condition, the addition of an antagonist for CXCR3 (CXCL10 receptor) increased collagen production. In contrast, recombinant CXCL10 abolished EPS-CM-dependent collagen induction. Overall, this study raises the possibility that CXCL10 secretion from skeletal muscles may control collagen production in mouse dermal fibroblasts.

Keywords:  Exercise; Mouse dermal fibroblasts; Myokines; Skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1507/endocrj.EJ21-0275
Physiol Rep. 2021 Jul;9(13): e14921

In vivo cooling-induced intracellular Ca2+ elevation and tension in rat skeletal muscle.

Ryo Takagi, Ayaka Tabuchi, David C Poole, Yutaka Kano.

  It is an open question as to whether cooling-induced muscle contraction occurs in the in vivo environment. In this investigation, we tested the hypotheses that a rise in intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]i) and concomitant muscle contraction could be evoked in vivo by reducing muscle temperature and that this phenomenon would be facilitated or inhibited by specific pharmacological interventions designed to impact Ca²⁺-induced Ca²⁺-release (CICR). Progressive temperature reductions were imposed on the spinotrapezius muscle of Wistar rats under isoflurane anesthesia by means of cold fluid immersion. The magnitude, location, and temporal profile of [Ca²⁺]i were estimated using fura-2 loading. Caffeine (1.25-5.0 mM) and procaine (1.6-25.6 mM) loading were applied in separatum to evaluate response plasticity by promoting or inhibiting CICR, respectively. Lowering the temperature of the muscle surface to ~5°C produced active tension and discrete sites with elevated [Ca²⁺]i. This [Ca²⁺]i elevation differed in magnitude from fiber to fiber and also from site to site within a fiber. Caffeine at 1.25 and 5.0 mM reduced the magnitude of cooling necessary to elevate [Ca²⁺]i (i.e., from ~5°C to ~8 and ~16°C, respectively, both p < 0.05) and tension. Conversely, 25.6 mM procaine lowered the temperature at which [Ca²⁺]i elevation and tension were detected to ~2°C (p < 0.05). Herein we demonstrate the spatial and temporal relationship between cooling-induced [Ca²⁺]i elevation and muscle contractile force in vivo and the plasticity of these responses with CICR promotion and inhibition.

Keywords:  caffeine; calcium-induced calcium release; rapid cooling contracture; temperature

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14921
PLoS One. 2021 ;16(7): e0253849

In vivo mitochondrial ATP production is improved in older adult skeletal muscle after a single dose of elamipretide in a randomized trial.

Baback Roshanravan, Sophia Z Liu, Amir S Ali, Eric G Shankland, Chessa Goss, John K Amory, H Thomas Robertson, David J Marcinek, Kevin E Conley.

BACKGROUND: Loss of mitochondrial function contributes to fatigue, exercise intolerance and muscle weakness, and is a key factor in the disability that develops with age and a wide variety of chronic disorders. Here, we describe the impact of a first-in-class cardiolipin-binding compound that is targeted to mitochondria and improves oxidative phosphorylation capacity (Elamipretide, ELAM) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.METHODS: Non-invasive magnetic resonance and optical spectroscopy provided measures of mitochondrial capacity (ATPmax) with exercise and mitochondrial coupling (ATP supply per O2 uptake; P/O) at rest. The first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle was studied in 39 healthy older adult subjects (60 to 85 yrs of age; 46% female) who were enrolled based on the presence of poorly functioning mitochondria. We measured volitional fatigue resistance by force-time integral over repetitive muscle contractions.
RESULTS: A single ELAM dose elevated mitochondrial energetic capacity in vivo relative to placebo (ΔATPmax; P = 0.055, %ΔATPmax; P = 0.045) immediately after a 2-hour infusion. No difference was found on day 7 after treatment, which is consistent with the half-life of ELAM in human blood. No significant changes were found in resting muscle mitochondrial coupling. Despite the increase in ATPmax there was no significant effect of treatment on fatigue resistance in the FDI.
CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight that ELAM rapidly and reversibly elevates mitochondrial capacity after a single dose. This response represents the first demonstration of a pharmacological intervention that can reverse mitochondrial dysfunction in vivo immediately after treatment in aging human muscle.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253849
Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 13. 11(1): 14376

Finite element analysis predicts Ca2+ microdomains within tubular-sarcoplasmic reticular junctions of amphibian skeletal muscle.

Oliver J Bardsley, Hugh R Matthews, Christopher L-H Huang.

A finite element analysis modelled diffusional generation of steady-state Ca2+ microdomains within skeletal muscle transverse (T)-tubular-sarcoplasmic reticular (SR) junctions, sites of ryanodine receptor (RyR)-mediated SR Ca2+ release. It used established quantifications of sarcomere and T-SR anatomy (radial diameter [Formula: see text]; axial distance [Formula: see text]). Its boundary SR Ca2+ influx densities,[Formula: see text], reflected step impositions of influxes, [Formula: see text] deduced from previously measured Ca2+ signals following muscle fibre depolarization. Predicted steady-state T-SR junctional edge [Ca2+], [Ca2+]edge, matched reported corresponding experimental cytosolic [Ca2+] elevations given diffusional boundary efflux [Formula: see text] established cytosolic Ca2+ diffusion coefficients [Formula: see text] and exit length [Formula: see text]. Dependences of predicted [Ca2+]edge upon [Formula: see text] then matched those of experimental [Ca2+] upon Ca2+ release through their entire test voltage range. The resulting model consistently predicted elevated steady-state T-SR junctional ~ µM-[Ca2+] elevations radially declining from maxima at the T-SR junction centre along the entire axial T-SR distance. These [Ca2+] heterogeneities persisted through 104- and fivefold, variations in D and w around, and fivefold reductions in d below, control values, and through reported resting muscle cytosolic [Ca2+] values, whilst preserving the flux conservation ([Formula: see text] condition, [Formula: see text]. Skeletal muscle thus potentially forms physiologically significant ~ µM-[Ca2+] T-SR microdomains that could regulate cytosolic and membrane signalling molecules including calmodulin and RyR, These findings directly fulfil recent experimental predictions invoking such Ca2+ microdomains in observed regulatory effects upon Na+ channel function, in a mechanism potentially occurring in similar restricted intracellular spaces in other cell types.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93083-1
Int J Sports Med. 2021 Jul 15.

The molecular signature of high-intensity interval training in the human body.

Patrick Wahl, Wilhelm Bloch, Sebastian Proschinger.

High-intensity training is becoming increasingly popular outside of elite sport for health prevention and rehabilitation. This expanded application of high-intensity training in different populations requires a deeper understanding of its molecular signature in the human body. Therefore, in this integrative review, cellular and systemic molecular responses to high-intensity training are described for skeletal muscle, cardiovascular system, and the immune system as major effectors and targets of health and performance. Different kinds of stimuli and resulting homeostatic perturbations (i.e., metabolic, mechanical, neuronal, and hormonal) are reflected, taking into account their role in the local and systemic deflection of molecular sensors and mediators, and their role in tissue and organ adaptations. In skeletal muscle, a high metabolic perturbation induced by high-intensity training is the major stimulus for skeletal muscle adaptation. In the cardio-vascular system, high-intensity training induces haemodynamic stress and deflection of the Ca2+ handling as major stimuli for functional and structural adaptation of the heart and vessels. For the immune system haemodynamic stress, hormones, exosomes, and O2 availability are proposed stimuli that mediate their effects by alteration of different signalling processes leading to local and systemic (anti)inflammatory responses. Overall, high-intensity training shows specific molecular signatures that demonstrate its high potential to improve health and physical performance.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1551-9294
Front Pharmacol. 2021 ;12 665493

Nicotinamide Riboside Vitamin B3 Mitigated C26 Adenocarcinoma-Induced Cancer Cachexia.

Jong Min Park, Young Min Han, Ho Jae Lee, Yong Jin Park, Ki Baik Hahm.

  Nicotinamide riboside (NR), vitamin B3, is a substrate for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-consuming enzymes and is a coenzyme for hydride-transfer enzymes, including adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribose transferases, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases, cADP-ribose synthases, and sirtuins, which play a central role in the aging process, neurodegenerative processes, and myopathy. Since cancer cachexia is a disease condition presenting with weight loss, skeletal muscle atrophy, and loss of adipose tissue in patients with advanced cancer, we hypothesized that NR intake could ameliorate sarcopenia. In this study, we investigated whether preemptive administration of NR ameliorated C26 adenocarcinoma-induced cancer cachexia and explored anti-cachexic mechanisms focused on the changes in muscle atrophy, cachexic inflammation, and catabolic catastrophe. Dietary intake of the NR-containing pellet diet significantly attenuated cancer cachexia in a mouse model. Starting with significant inhibition of cachexic factors, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin-6, NR significantly inhibited muscle-specific ubiquitin-proteasome ligases, such as atrogin-1, muscle RING-finger protein-1 (MuRF-1), mitofusin-2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1-alpha (PCG-1α). Significant inhibition of epididymal fat lipolysis was noted with significant inhibition of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) gene. Furthermore, NR administration significantly increased the levels of crucial enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of NAD+ and nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase and significantly inhibited the NAD+-sensitive deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1). Preemptive intake of NR in patients vulnerable to cachexia can be a preemptive option to ameliorate cancer cachexia.

Keywords:  NAMPT1; cancer cachexia; inflammation; muscle atrophy; nicotinamide ribose; sarcopenia

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.665493
J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021 Jul 10. 18(1): 56

Initiating aerobic exercise with low glycogen content reduces markers of myogenesis but not mTORC1 signaling.

Lee M Margolis, Marques A Wilson, Claire C Whitney, Christopher T Carrigan, Nancy E Murphy, Adrienne Hatch-McChesney, Stefan M Pasiakos.

  BACKGROUND: The effects of low muscle glycogen on molecular markers of protein synthesis and myogenesis before and during aerobic exercise with carbohydrate ingestion is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of initiating aerobic exercise with low muscle glycogen on mTORC1 signaling and markers of myogenesis.METHODS: Eleven men completed two cycle ergometry glycogen depletion trials separated by 7-d, followed by randomized isocaloric refeeding for 24-h to elicit low (LOW; 1.5 g/kg carbohydrate, 3.0 g/kg fat) or adequate (AD; 6.0 g/kg carbohydrate, 1.0 g/kg fat) glycogen. Participants then performed 80-min of cycle ergometry (64 ± 3% VO2peak) while ingesting 146 g carbohydrate. mTORC1 signaling (Western blotting) and gene transcription (RT-qPCR) were determined from vastus lateralis biopsies before glycogen depletion (baseline, BASE), and before (PRE) and after (POST) exercise.
RESULTS: Regardless of treatment, p-mTORC1Ser2448, p-p70S6KSer424/421, and p-rpS6Ser235/236 were higher (P < 0.05) POST compared to PRE and BASE. PAX7 and MYOGENIN were lower (P < 0.05) in LOW compared to AD, regardless of time, while MYOD was lower (P < 0.05) in LOW compared to AD at PRE, but not different at POST.
CONCLUSION: Initiating aerobic exercise with low muscle glycogen does not affect mTORC1 signaling, yet reductions in gene expression of myogenic regulatory factors suggest that muscle recovery from exercise may be reduced.

Keywords:  Endurance exercise; High carbohydrate; High fat; Muscle regeneration

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00455-z
Front Physiol. 2021 ;12 655955

Maintenance of Muscle Mass and Cardiorespiratory Fitness to Cancer Patients During COVID-19 Era and After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine.

Miguel S Conceição, Sophie Derchain, Felipe Cassaro Vechin, Guilherme Telles, Guilherme Fiori Maginador, Luís Otávio Sarian, Cleiton Augusto Libardi, Carlos Ugrinowitsch.

  There is emerging evidence that decreased muscle mass and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are associated with increased risk of cancer-related mortality. This paper aimed to present recommendations to prescribe effective and safe exercise protocols to minimize losses, maintain or even improve muscle mass, strength, and CRF of the cancer patients who are undergoing or beyond treatment during the COVID-19 era. Overall, we recommend performing exercises with bodyweight, elastic bands, or suspension bands to voluntary interruption (i.e., interrupt the exercise set voluntarily, according to their perception of fatigue, before concentric muscular failure) to maintain or increase muscle strength and mass and CRF during COVID-19 physical distancing. Additionally, rest intervals between sets and exercises (i.e., long or short) should favor maintaining exercise intensities between 50 and 80% of maxHR and/or RPE of 12. In an exercise program with these characteristics, the progression of the stimulus must be carried out by increasing exercise complexity, number of sets, and weekly frequency. With feasible exercises attainable anywhere, modulating only the work-to-rest ratio and using voluntary interruption, it is possible to prescribe exercise for a wide range of patients with cancer as well as training goals. Exercise must be encouraged; however, exercise professionals must be aware of the patient's health condition even at a physical distance to provide a safe and efficient exercise program. Exercise professionals should adjust the exercise prescription throughout home confinement whenever necessary, keeping in mind that minimal exercise stimuli are beneficial to patients in poor physical condition.

Keywords:  COVID-19; cancer; exercise; physical distance; physical training

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.655955
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2021 Jul 15.

Growth hormone secretagogue receptor-1a mediates ghrelin's effects on attenuating tumour-induced loss of muscle strength but not muscle mass.

Haiming Liu, Pu Zang, Ian In-Gi Lee, Barbara Anderson, Anthony Christiani, Lena Strait-Bodey, Beatrice A Breckheimer, Mackenzie Storie, Alison Tewnion, Kora Krumm, Theresa Li, Brynn Irwin, Jose M Garcia.

  BACKGROUND: Ghrelin may ameliorate cancer cachexia (CC) by preventing anorexia, muscle, and fat loss. However, the mechanisms mediating these effects are not fully understood. This study characterizes the pathways involved in muscle mass and strength loss in the Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC)-induced cachexia model, and the effects of ghrelin in mice with or without its only known receptor: the growth hormone secretagogue receptor-1a ((GHSR-1a), Ghsr+/+ and Ghsr-/- ).METHODS: Five to 7-month-old male C57BL/6J Ghsr+/+ and Ghsr-/- mice were inoculated with 1 × 106 heat-killed (HK) or live LLC cells (tumour implantation, TI). When tumours were palpable (7 days after TI), tumour-bearing mice were injected with vehicle (T + V) or ghrelin twice/day for 14 days (T + G, 0.8 mg/kg), while HK-treated mice were given vehicle (HK + V). Body weight and grip strength were evaluated before TI and at termination (21 days after TI). Hindlimb muscles were collected for analysis.
RESULTS: Less pronounced body weight (BW) loss (87.70 ± 0.98% vs. 83.92 ± 1.23%, percentage of baseline BW in tumour-bearing Ghsr+/+ vs. Ghsr-/- , P = 0.008), and lower upregulation of ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS, MuRF1/Trim63, 5.71 ± 1.53-fold vs. 9.22 ± 1.94-fold-change from Ghsr+/+ HK + V in tumour-bearing Ghsr+/+ vs. Ghsr-/- , P = 0.036) and autophagy markers (Becn1, Atg5, Atg7, tumour-bearing Ghsr+/+ < Ghsr-/- , all P < 0.02) were found in T + V Ghsr+/+ vs. Ghsr-/- mice. Ghrelin attenuated LLC-induced UPS marker upregulation in both genotypes, [Trim63 was decreased from 5.71 ± 1.53-fold to 1.96 ± 0.47-fold in Ghsr+/+ (T + V vs. T + G: P = 0.032) and 9.22 ± 1.94-fold to 4.72 ± 1.06-fold in Ghsr-/- (T + V vs. T + G: P = 0.008)]. Only in Ghsr+/+ mice ghrelin ameliorated LLC-induced grip strength loss [improved from 89.24 ± 3.48% to 97.80 ± 2.31% of baseline (T + V vs. T + G: P = 0.042)], mitophagy markers [Bnip3 was decreased from 2.28 ± 0.56 to 1.38 ± 0.14-fold (T + V vs. T + G: P ≤ 0.05)], and impaired mitochondrial respiration [State 3u improved from 698.23 ± 73.96 to 934.37 ± 95.21 pmol/min (T + V vs. T + G: P ≤ 0.05)], whereas these markers were not improved by ghrelin Ghsr-/- . Compared with Ghsr+/+ , Ghsr-/- tumour-bearing mice also showed decreased response to ghrelin in BW [T + G-treated Ghsr+/+ vs. Ghsr -/- : 91.75 ± 1.05% vs. 86.18 ± 1.13% of baseline BW, P < 0.001)], gastrocnemius (T + G-treated Ghsr+/+ vs. Ghsr-/- : 96.9 ± 2.08% vs. 88.15 ± 1.78% of Ghsr+/+ HK + V, P < 0.001) and quadriceps muscle mass (T + G-treated Ghsr+/+ vs. Ghsr-/- : 96.12 ± 2.31% vs. 88.36 ± 1.94% of Ghsr+/+ HK + V, P = 0.01), and gastrocnemius type IIA (T + G-treated Ghsr+/+ vs. Ghsr-/- : 1250.49 ± 31.72 vs. 1017.62 ± 70.99 μm2 , P = 0.027) and IIB fibre cross-sectional area (T + G-treated Ghsr+/+ vs. Ghsr-/- : 2496.48 ± 116.88 vs. 2183.04 ± 103.43 μm2 , P = 0.024).
CONCLUSIONS: Growth hormone secretagogue receptor-1a mediates ghrelin's effects on attenuating LLC-induced weakness but not muscle mass loss by modulating the autophagy-lysosome pathway, mitophagy, and mitochondrial respiration.

Keywords:  Autophagy; Cachexia; Mitochondria; Wasting

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12743
BMC Mol Cell Biol. 2021 Jul 13. 22(1): 38

Disruption of Drosophila larval muscle structure and function by UNC45 knockdown.

Abiramy Karunendiran, Christine T Nguyen, Virginijus Barzda, Bryan A Stewart.

BACKGROUND: Proper muscle function is heavily dependent on highly ordered protein complexes. UNC45 is a USC (named since this region is shared by three proteins UNC45/CRO1/She4P) chaperone that is necessary for myosin incorporation into the thick filaments. UNC45 is expressed throughout the entire Drosophila life cycle and it has been shown to be important during late embryogenesis when initial muscle development occurs. However, the effects of UNC45 manipulation at later developmental times, after muscle development, have not yet been studied.MAIN RESULTS: UNC45 was knocked down with RNAi in a manner that permitted survival to the pupal stage, allowing for characterization of sarcomere organization in the well-studied third instar larvae. Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy revealed changes in the striated pattern of body wall muscles as well as a reduction of signal intensity. This observation was confirmed with immunofluorescence and electron microscopy imaging, showing diminished UNC45 signal and disorganization of myosin and z-disk proteins. Concomitant alterations in both synaptic physiology and locomotor function were also found. Both nerve-stimulated response and spontaneous vesicle release were negatively affected, while larval movement was impaired.
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the dependency of normal sarcomere structure on UNC45 expression. We confirm the known role of UNC45 for myosin localization and further show the I-Z-I complex is also disrupted. This suggests a broad need for UNC45 to maintain sarcomere integrity. Newly discovered changes in synaptic physiology reveal the likely presence of a homeostatic response to partially maintain synaptic strength and muscle function.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12860-021-00373-7