bims-moremu 2022-04-03 papers

bims-moremu

Biomed News

on Molecular regulators of muscle mass

Issue of 2022–04–03
29 papers selected by
Anna Vainshtein, Craft Science Inc.

Transient changes to metabolic homeostasis initiate mitochondrial adaptation to endurance exercise.
Regulatory networks controlling mitochondrial quality control in skeletal muscle.
Actin-related protein 5 functions as a novel modulator of MyoD and MyoG in skeletal muscle and in rhabdomyosarcoma.
Fasting potentiates insulin-mediated glucose uptake in rested and prior-contracted rat skeletal muscle.
METTL3 promotes proliferation and myogenic differentiation through m6A RNA methylation/YTHDF1/2 signaling axis in myoblasts.
miR-378-mediated glycolytic metabolism enriches the Pax7Hi subpopulation of satellite cells.
(Dys)regulation of Protein Metabolism in Skeletal Muscle of Humans With Obesity.
Knockdown of sarcolipin (SLN) impairs substrate utilization in human skeletal muscle cells.
Human skeletal muscle size with ultrasound imaging: a comprehensive review.
The effects of diet and chronic exercise on skeletal muscle ghrelin response.
Role of exercise in estrogen deficiency-induced sarcopenia.
mRNA-mediated delivery of gene editing tools to human primary muscle stem cells.
Counteractive and cooperative actions of muscle β-catenin and CaV1.1 during early neuromuscular synapse formation.
Long-chain ceramides are cell non-autonomous signals linking lipotoxicity to endoplasmic reticulum stress in skeletal muscle.
Effects of High-Volume Versus High-Load Resistance Training on Skeletal Muscle Growth and Molecular Adaptations.
Scinderin promotes fusion of electron transport chain dysfunctional muscle stem cells with myofibers.
Trimetazidine and exercise offer analogous improvements to the skeletal muscle insulin resistance of mice through Nrf2 signaling.
Extreme duration exercise affects old and younger men differently.
Intermittent prednisone treatment in mice promotes exercise tolerance in obesity through adiponectin.
Desmin Modulates Muscle Cell Adhesion and Migration.
Skeletal muscle abnormalities in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Excitability Properties of Mouse and Human Skeletal Muscle Fibres Compared by Muscle Velocity Recovery Cycles.
The gRNA vector level determines the outcome of systemic AAV CRISPR therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
A century of exercise physiology: key concepts in regulation of glycogen metabolism in skeletal muscle.
The accumulation rate of ribosomes predicts muscle training-induced hypertrophy.
Proteomics and phosphoproteomics datasets of a muscle-specific STIM1 loss-of-function mouse model.
Treating Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: The Promise of Stem Cells, Artificial Intelligence, and Multi-Omics.
Altered electrical properties in skeletal muscle of mice with glycogen storage disease type II.
Exercise suppresses tumor growth independent of high fat food intake and associated immune dysfunction.

Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2022 Mar 26. pii: S1084-9521(22)00096-9. [Epub ahead of print]

Transient changes to metabolic homeostasis initiate mitochondrial adaptation to endurance exercise.

Jessica R Dent, Ben Stocks, Dean G Campelj, Andrew Philp.

  Endurance exercise is well established to increase mitochondrial content and function in skeletal muscle, a process termed mitochondrial biogenesis. Current understanding is that exercise initiates skeletal muscle mitochondrial remodeling via modulation of cellular nutrient, energetic and contractile stress pathways. These subtle changes in the cellular milieu are sensed by numerous transduction pathways that serve to initiate and coordinate an increase in mitochondrial gene transcription and translation. The result of these acute signaling events is the promotion of growth and assembly of mitochondria, coupled to a greater capacity for aerobic ATP provision in skeletal muscle. The aim of this review is to highlight the acute metabolic events induced by endurance exercise and the subsequent molecular pathways that sense this transient change in cellular homeostasis to drive mitochondrial adaptation and remodeling.

Keywords:  Adaptation; Exercise; Metabolism; Mitochondria

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.022
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2022 Mar 30.

Regulatory networks controlling mitochondrial quality control in skeletal muscle.

Mikhaela B Slavin, Jonathan M Memme, Ashley N Oliveira, Neushaw Moradi, David A Hood.

The adaptive plasticity of mitochondria within skeletal muscle is regulated by signals converging on a myriad of regulatory networks that operate during conditions of increased (i.e. exercise) and decreased (inactivity, disuse) energy requirements. Notably, some of the initial signals that induce adaptive responses are common to both conditions, differing in their magnitude and temporal pattern, to produce vastly opposing mitochondrial phenotypes. In response to exercise, signaling to PGC-1α and other regulators ultimately produces an abundance of high quality mitochondria, leading to reduced mitophagy and a higher mitochondrial content. This is accompanied by the presence of an enhanced protein quality control system that consists of the protein import machinery as well chaperones and proteases termed the UPRmt. The UPRmt monitors intra-organelle proteostasis, and strives to maintain a mito-nuclear balance between nuclear- and mtDNA-derived gene products via retrograde signaling from the organelle to the nucleus. In addition, antioxidant capacity is improved, affording greater protection against oxidative stress. In contrast, chronic disuse conditions produce similar signaling but result in decrements in mitochondrial quality and content. Thus, the interactive cross-talk of the regulatory networks that control organelle turnover during wide variations in muscle use and disuse remain incompletely understood, despite our improving knowledge of the traditional regulators of organelle content and function. This brief review acknowledges existing regulatory networks and summarizes recent discoveries of novel biological pathways involved in determining organelle biogenesis, dynamics, mitophagy, protein quality control and antioxidant capacity, identifying ample protein targets for therapeutic intervention that determine muscle and mitochondrial health.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00065.2022
Elife. 2022 Mar 29. pii: e77746. [Epub ahead of print]11

Actin-related protein 5 functions as a novel modulator of MyoD and MyoG in skeletal muscle and in rhabdomyosarcoma.

Tsuyoshi Morita, Ken'ichiro Hayashi.

  Myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) are pivotal transcription factors in myogenic differentiation. MyoD commits cells to the skeletal muscle lineage by inducing myogenic genes through recruitment of chromatin remodelers to its target loci. This study showed that Actin-related protein 5 (Arp5) acts as an inhibitory regulator of MyoD and MyoG by binding to their cysteine-rich (CR) region, which overlaps with the region essential for their epigenetic functions. Arp5 expression was faint in skeletal muscle tissues. Excessive Arp5 in mouse hind limbs caused skeletal muscle fiber atrophy. Further, Arp5 overexpression in myoblasts inhibited myotube formation by diminishing myogenic gene expression, whereas Arp5 depletion augmented myogenic gene expression. Arp5 disturbed MyoD-mediated chromatin remodeling through competition with the three-amino-acid-loop-extension-class homeodomain transcription factors the Pbx1-Meis1 heterodimer for binding to the CR region. This antimyogenic function was independent of the INO80 chromatin remodeling complex, although Arp5 is an important component of that. In rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cells, Arp5 expression was significantly higher than in normal myoblasts and skeletal muscle tissue, probably contributing to MyoD and MyoG activity dysregulation. Arp5 depletion in RMS partially restored myogenic properties while inhibiting tumorigenic properties. Thus, Arp5 is a novel modulator of MRFs in skeletal muscle differentiation.

Keywords:  cell biology; developmental biology; human; mouse

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.77746
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2022 Mar 28.

Fasting potentiates insulin-mediated glucose uptake in rested and prior-contracted rat skeletal muscle.

Kohei Kido, Tatsuro Egawa, Shinya Watanabe, Kentaro Kawanaka, Jonas T Treebak, Tatsuya Hayashi.

  A single bout of exercise can potentiate the effect of insulin on skeletal muscle glucose uptake via activation of the AMPK-TBC1D4 pathway, which suggests a positive correlation between AMPK activation and insulin sensitization. Additionally, prolonged fasting in rodents is known to upregulate and thereby synergistically enhance the effect of exercise on muscle AMPK activation. Therefore, fasting may potentiate the insulin-sensitizing effect of exercise. In the present study, we mimicked exercise by in situ muscle contraction and evaluated the effect of a 36 h fast on muscle contraction-induced insulin sensitization. Male Wistar rats weighing 150-170 g were allocated to either a 36-h fasting or feeding group. The extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles were electrically contracted via the common peroneal nerve for 10 min followed by a 3 h recovery period. EDL muscles were dissected and incubated in the presence or absence of submaximal insulin. Our results demonstrated that acute muscle contraction and 36 h of fasting additively upregulated AMPK pathway activation. Insulin-stimulated muscle glucose uptake and site-specific TBC1D4 phosphorylation were enhanced by prior muscle contraction in 36-h fasted rats, but not in fed rats. Moreover, enhanced insulin-induced muscle glucose uptake and Akt phosphorylation due to 36 h of fasting was associated with a decrease in tribbles homolog 3 (TRB3), a negative regulator of Akt activation. In conclusion, fasting and prior muscle contraction synergistically enhance insulin-stimulated TBC1D4 phosphorylation and glucose uptake, which is associated with augmented AMPK pathway activation in rodents.

Keywords:  AMPK; fasting; glucose uptake; insulin sensitivity; skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00412.2021
Life Sci. 2022 Mar 26. pii: S0024-3205(22)00196-5. [Epub ahead of print]298 120496

METTL3 promotes proliferation and myogenic differentiation through m6A RNA methylation/YTHDF1/2 signaling axis in myoblasts.

Tiantian Zhao, Rui Zhao, Xudong Yi, Rui Cai, Weijun Pang.

  Skeletal muscle development has an important impact on muscle-related diseases and domestic animal meat production. The m6A RNA methylation is a common post-transcriptional modification, affecting the development and metabolism of various organs. However, the effect and regulatory mechanism of methyltransferase like 3 (METTL3) on myogenesis are still unclear. Here, we showed that the mRNA levels of METTL3 was greater in skeletal muscles including extensor digitorum longus (EDL), soleus (SOL), tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (GAS). Moreover, METTL3 highly expressed in the early stage of myoblast proliferation at hour 0 and the late stage of myoblast differentiation at day 8, indicating it was involved in myogenesis. Interestingly, METTL3 knockdown inhibited myoblast proliferation and myogenic differentiation, whereas METTL3 overexpression promoted these processes. Mechanically, METTL3 overexpression increased the ratio of mRNA m6A/A and shortened the time of P21 and P27 mRNA half level, causing the mRNAs downregulation via reducing their stability. Meanwhile, the promotion of cell proliferation by METTL3 overexpression was attenuated by YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 2 (YTHDF2) knockdown. Furthermore, the promotion of myogenic differentiation by METTL3 overexpression was weakened by YTHDF1 knockdown through reducing the mRNA translation of MRFs including MyHC, MyoD and MyoG. Therefore, METTL3 facilitates myoblast proliferation and myogenic differentiation. Overall, these findings suggest that METTL3/m6A RNA methylation/YTHDF1/2 signaling axis is a novel strategy for the regulation of skeletal muscle development.

Keywords:  METTL3; Myoblast; Myogenic differentiation; Proliferation; YTHDF1/2; m(6)A RNA methylation

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120496
Cell Regen. 2022 Apr 02. 11(1): 11

miR-378-mediated glycolytic metabolism enriches the Pax7Hi subpopulation of satellite cells.

Hu Li, Lin Kang, Rimao Wu, Changyin Li, Qianying Zhang, Ran Zhong, Lijing Jia, Dahai Zhu, Yong Zhang.

  Adult skeletal muscle stem cells, also known satellite cells (SCs), are a highly heterogeneous population and reside between the basal lamina and the muscle fiber sarcolemma. Myofibers function as an immediate niche to support SC self-renewal and activation during muscle growth and regeneration. Herein, we demonstrate that microRNA 378 (miR-378) regulates glycolytic metabolism in skeletal muscle fibers, as evidenced by analysis of myofiber-specific miR-378 transgenic mice (TG). Subsequently, we evaluate SC function and muscle regeneration using miR-378 TG mice. We demonstrate that miR-378 TG mice significantly attenuate muscle regeneration because of the delayed activation and differentiation of SCs. Furthermore, we show that the miR-378-mediated metabolic switch enriches Pax7Hi SCs, accounting for impaired muscle regeneration in miR-378 TG mice. Mechanistically, our data suggest that miR-378 targets the Akt1/FoxO1 pathway, which contributes the enrichment of Pax7Hi SCs in miR-378 TG mice. Together, our findings indicate that miR-378 is a target that links fiber metabolism to muscle stem cell heterogeneity and provide a genetic model to approve the metabolic niche role of myofibers in regulating muscle stem cell behavior and function.

Keywords:  glycolytic metabolism; miRNAs; muscle regeneration; satellite cells

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13619-022-00112-z
Front Physiol. 2022 ;13 843087

(Dys)regulation of Protein Metabolism in Skeletal Muscle of Humans With Obesity.

Eduardo D S Freitas, Christos S Katsanos.

  Studies investigating the proteome of skeletal muscle present clear evidence that protein metabolism is altered in muscle of humans with obesity. Moreover, muscle quality (i.e., strength per unit of muscle mass) appears lower in humans with obesity. However, relevant evidence to date describing the protein turnover, a process that determines content and quality of protein, in muscle of humans with obesity is quite inconsistent. This is due, at least in part, to heterogeneity in protein turnover in skeletal muscle of humans with obesity. Although not always evident at the mixed-muscle protein level, the rate of synthesis is generally lower in myofibrillar and mitochondrial proteins in muscle of humans with obesity. Moreover, alterations in the synthesis of protein in muscle of humans with obesity are manifested more readily under conditions that stimulate protein synthesis in muscle, including the fed state, increased plasma amino acid availability to muscle, and exercise. Current evidence supports various biological mechanisms explaining impairments in protein synthesis in muscle of humans with obesity, but this evidence is rather limited and needs to be reproduced under more defined experimental conditions. Expanding our current knowledge with direct measurements of protein breakdown in muscle, and more importantly of protein turnover on a protein by protein basis, will enhance our understanding of how obesity modifies the proteome (content and quality) in muscle of humans with obesity.

Keywords:  metabolic disease; muscle; myopathology; obesity; proteome

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.843087
Mol Biol Rep. 2022 Apr 02.

Knockdown of sarcolipin (SLN) impairs substrate utilization in human skeletal muscle cells.

Abel M Mengeste, Parmeshwar Katare, Andrea Dalmao Fernandez, Jenny Lund, Hege G Bakke, David Baker, Stefano Bartesaghi, Xiao-Rong Peng, Arild C Rustan, G Hege Thoresen, Eili Tranheim Kase.

   BACKGROUND: Recent studies have highlighted that uncoupling of sarco-/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) by sarcolipin (SLN) increases ATP consumption and contributes to heat liberation. Exploiting this thermogenic mechanism in skeletal muscle may provide an attractive strategy to counteract obesity and associated metabolic disorders. In the present study, we have investigated the role of SLN on substrate metabolism in human skeletal muscle cells.
METHODS AND RESULTS: After generation of skeletal muscle cells with stable SLN knockdown (SLN-KD), cell viability, glucose and oleic acid (OA) metabolism, mitochondrial function, as well as gene expressions were determined. Depletion of SLN did not influence cell viability. However, glucose and OA oxidation were diminished in SLN-KD cells compared to control myotubes. Basal respiration measured by respirometry was also observed to be reduced in cells with SLN-KD. The metabolic perturbation in SLN-KD cells was reflected by reduced gene expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC1α) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1). Furthermore, accumulation of OA was increased in cells with SLN-KD compared to control cells. These effects were accompanied by increased lipid formation and incorporation of OA into complex lipids. Additionally, formation of complex lipids and free fatty acid from de novo lipogenesis with acetate as substrate was enhanced in SLN-KD cells. Detection of lipid droplets using Oil red O staining also showed increased lipid accumulation in SLN-KD cells.
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our study sheds light on the importance of SLN in maintaining metabolic homeostasis in human skeletal muscle. Findings from the current study suggest that therapeutic strategies involving SLN-mediated futile cycling of SERCA might have significant implications in the treatment of obesity and associated metabolic disorders.

Keywords:  Glucose metabolism; Lipid metabolism; Obesity; SERCA; Sarcolipin; Skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-022-07387-0
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2022 Mar 31.

Human skeletal muscle size with ultrasound imaging: a comprehensive review.

Masatoshi Naruse, Scott W Trappe, Todd A Trappe.

  Skeletal muscle size is an important factor in assessing adaptation to exercise training and detraining, athletic performance, age-associated atrophy and mobility decline, clinical conditions associated with cachexia, and overall skeletal muscle health. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomography (CT) are widely accepted as the gold standard methods for skeletal muscle size quantification. However, it is not always feasible to use these methods (e.g., field studies, bedside studies, large cohort studies). Ultrasound has been available for skeletal muscle examination for more than 50 years and the development, utility, and validity of ultrasound imaging are underappreciated. It is now possible to use ultrasound in situations where MR and CT imaging are not suitable. This review provides a comprehensive summary of ultrasound imaging and human skeletal muscle size assessment. Since the first study in 1968, more than 600 articles have used ultrasound to examine the cross-sectional area and/or volume of 107 different skeletal muscles in more than 27,500 subjects of various ages, health status, and fitness conditions. Data from these studies, supported by decades of technological developments, collectively show that ultrasonography is a valid tool for skeletal muscle size quantification. Considering the wide-ranging connections between human health and function and skeletal muscle mass, the utility of ultrasound imaging will allow it to be employed in research investigations and clinical practice in ways not previously appreciated or considered.

Keywords:  Skeletal muscle mass; ultrasound; whole muscle imaging

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00041.2022
Metabol Open. 2022 Jun;14 100182

The effects of diet and chronic exercise on skeletal muscle ghrelin response.

Andrew J Lovell, Evan M Hoecht, Barbora Hucik, Daniel T Cervone, David J Dyck.

   Background: Recent findings indicate that ghrelin, particularly the unacylated form (UnAG), acutely stimulates skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and can preserve insulin signaling and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in the presence of high concentrations of saturated fatty acids. However, we recently reported that the stimulatory effect of ghrelin on FAO and subsequent ability to protect insulin stimulated glucose uptake was lost following 6-weeks (6w) of chronic high fat feeding. In the current study we examined the effects of both short-term 5 day (5d) and chronic 6w high-fat diet (HFD) on muscle ghrelin response, and whether exercise training could prevent the development of muscle ghrelin resistance with 6w of HFD.
Methods and Results: Soleus muscle strips were isolated from male rats to determine the direct effects of acylated (AG) and UnAG isoforms on FAO and glucose uptake. A 5d HFD did not alter the response of soleus muscle to AG or UnAG. Conversely, 6w of HFD was associated with a loss of ghrelin's ability to stimulate FAO and protect insulin stimulated glucose uptake. Muscle response to UnAG remained intact following the 6w HFD with chronic exercise training. Unexpectedly, muscle response to both AG and UnAG was also lost after 6w of low-fat diet (LFD) consumption. Protein content of the classic ghrelin receptor, GHS-R1a, was not affected by diet or training. Corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor-2 (CRF-2R) content, a putative receptor for ghrelin in muscle, was significantly decreased in soleus from 6w HFD-fed animals and increased following exercise training. This may explain the protection of UnAG response with training in HFD-fed rats but does not explain why ghrelin response was also lost in LFD-fed animals.
Conclusions: UnAG protects muscle glucose uptake during acute lipid oversupply, likely due to its ability to stimulate FAO. This effect is lost in 6w HFD-fed animals but protected with exercise training. Unexpectedly, ghrelin response was lost in 6w LFD-fed animals. The loss of ghrelin response in muscle with a LFD cannot be explained by a change in putative ghrelin receptor content. We believe that the sedentary nature of the animals is a major factor in the development of muscle ghrelin resistance and warrants further research.

Keywords:  Exercise training; Ghrelin; Glucose transport; High-fat diet; Lipid oxidation; Skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metop.2022.100182
J Exerc Rehabil. 2022 Feb;18(1): 2-9

Role of exercise in estrogen deficiency-induced sarcopenia.

Eun-Jeong Cho, Youngju Choi, Su-Jeen Jung, Hyo-Bum Kwak.

  A decline in estrogen levels during menopause is associated with the loss of muscle mass and function, and it can accelerate sarcopenia. However, with the growing number of postmenopausal women due to the increase in life expectancy, the effects of estrogen on skeletal muscle are not completely understood. This article reviews the relationship between estrogen deficiency and skeletal muscle, its potential mechanisms, including those involving mitochondria, and the effects of exercise on estrogen deficiency-induced skeletal muscle impairment. In particular, mitochondrial dysfunction induced by estrogen deficiency accelerates sarcopenia via mitochondrial dynamics, mitophagy, and mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. It is well known that exercise training is essential for health, including for the improvement of sarcopenia. This review highlights the importance of exercise training (aerobic and resistance exercise) as a therapeutic intervention against estrogen deficiency-induced sarcopenia.

Keywords:  Estrogen; Exercise training; Sarcopenia; Skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.2244004.002
Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2022 Jun 14. 28 47-57

mRNA-mediated delivery of gene editing tools to human primary muscle stem cells.

Christian Stadelmann, Silvia Di Francescantonio, Andreas Marg, Stefanie Müthel, Simone Spuler, Helena Escobar.

  Muscular dystrophies are approximately 50 devastating, untreatable monogenic diseases leading to progressive muscle degeneration and atrophy. Gene correction of transplantable cells using CRISPR/Cas9-based tools is a realistic scenario for autologous cell replacement therapies to restore organ function in many genetic disorders. However, muscle stem cells have so far lagged behind due to the absence of methods to isolate and propagate them and their susceptibility to extensive ex vivo manipulations. Here, we show that mRNA-based delivery of SpCas9 and an adenine base editor results in up to >90% efficient genome editing in human muscle stem cells from many donors regardless of age and gender and without any enrichment step. Using NCAM1 as an endogenous reporter locus expressed by all muscle stem cells and whose knockout does not affect cell fitness, we show that cells edited with mRNA fully retain their myogenic marker signature, proliferation capacity, and functional attributes. Moreover, mRNA-based delivery of a base editor led to the highly efficient repair of a muscular dystrophy-causing SGCA mutation in a single selection-free step. In summary, our work establishes mRNA-mediated delivery of CRISPR/Cas9-based tools as a promising and universal approach for taking gene edited muscle stem cells into clinical application to treat muscle disease.

Keywords:  CRISPR/Cas9; MT: DNA editing; base editing; gene editing; human muscle stem cells; mRNA delivery; muscular dystrophy; stem cell therapy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omtn.2022.02.016
iScience. 2022 Apr 15. 25(4): 104025

Counteractive and cooperative actions of muscle β-catenin and CaV1.1 during early neuromuscular synapse formation.

Mehmet Mahsum Kaplan, Bernhard E Flucher.

  Activity-dependent calcium signals in developing muscle play a crucial role in neuromuscular junction (NMJ) formation. However, its downstream effectors and interactions with other regulators of pre- and postsynaptic differentiation are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the skeletal muscle calcium channel CaV1.1 and β-catenin interact in various ways to control NMJ development. They differentially regulate nerve branching and presynaptic innervation patterns during the initial phase of NMJ formation. Conversely, they cooperate in regulating postsynaptic AChR clustering, synapse formation, and the proper organization of muscle fibers in mouse diaphragm. CaV1.1 does not directly regulate β-catenin expression but differentially controls the activity of its transcriptional co-regulators TCF/Lef and YAP. These findings suggest a crosstalk between CaV1.1 and β-catenin in the activity-dependent transcriptional regulation of genes involved in specific pre- and postsynaptic aspects of NMJ formation.

Keywords:  Biological sciences; Cell biology; Developmental biology; Developmental neuroscience

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.104025
Nat Commun. 2022 Apr 01. 13(1): 1748

Long-chain ceramides are cell non-autonomous signals linking lipotoxicity to endoplasmic reticulum stress in skeletal muscle.

Ben D McNally, Dean F Ashley, Lea Hänschke, Hélène N Daou, Nicole T Watt, Steven A Murfitt, Amanda D V MacCannell, Anna Whitehead, T Scott Bowen, Francis W B Sanders, Michele Vacca, Klaus K Witte, Graeme R Davies, Reinhard Bauer, Julian L Griffin, Lee D Roberts.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) regulates cellular protein and lipid biosynthesis. ER dysfunction leads to protein misfolding and the unfolded protein response (UPR), which limits protein synthesis to prevent cytotoxicity. Chronic ER stress in skeletal muscle is a unifying mechanism linking lipotoxicity to metabolic disease. Unidentified signals from cells undergoing ER stress propagate paracrine and systemic UPR activation. Here, we induce ER stress and lipotoxicity in myotubes. We observe ER stress-inducing lipid cell non-autonomous signal(s). Lipidomics identifies that palmitate-induced cell stress induces long-chain ceramide 40:1 and 42:1 secretion. Ceramide synthesis through the ceramide synthase 2 de novo pathway is regulated by UPR kinase Perk. Inactivation of CerS2 in mice reduces systemic and muscle ceramide signals and muscle UPR activation. The ceramides are packaged into extracellular vesicles, secreted and induce UPR activation in naïve myotubes through dihydroceramide accumulation. This study furthers our understanding of ER stress by identifying UPR-inducing cell non-autonomous signals.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29363-9
Front Physiol. 2022 ;13 857555

Effects of High-Volume Versus High-Load Resistance Training on Skeletal Muscle Growth and Molecular Adaptations.

Christopher G Vann, Casey L Sexton, Shelby C Osburn, Morgan A Smith, Cody T Haun, Melissa N Rumbley, Petey W Mumford, Nathan T Montgomery, Bradley A Ruple, James McKendry, Jonathan Mcleod, Adil Bashir, Ronald J Beyers, Matthew S Brook, Kenneth Smith, Philip J Atherton, Darren T Beck, James R McDonald, Kaelin C Young, Stuart M Phillips, Michael D Roberts.

  We evaluated the effects of higher-load (HL) versus (lower-load) higher-volume (HV) resistance training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, strength, and muscle-level molecular adaptations. Trained men (n = 15, age: 23 ± 3 years; training experience: 7 ± 3 years) performed unilateral lower-body training for 6 weeks (3× weekly), where single legs were randomly assigned to HV and HL paradigms. Vastus lateralis (VL) biopsies were obtained prior to study initiation (PRE) as well as 3 days (POST) and 10 days following the last training bout (POSTPR). Body composition and strength tests were performed at each testing session, and biochemical assays were performed on muscle tissue after study completion. Two-way within-subject repeated measures ANOVAs were performed on most dependent variables, and tracer data were compared using dependent samples t-tests. A significant interaction existed for VL muscle cross-sectional area (assessed via magnetic resonance imaging; interaction p = 0.046), where HV increased this metric from PRE to POST (+3.2%, p = 0.018) whereas HL training did not (-0.1%, p = 0.475). Additionally, HL increased leg extensor strength more so than HV training (interaction p = 0.032; HV < HL at POST and POSTPR, p < 0.025 for each). Six-week integrated non-myofibrillar protein synthesis (iNon-MyoPS) rates were also higher in the HV versus HL condition, while no difference between conditions existed for iMyoPS rates. No interactions existed for other strength, VL morphology variables, or the relative abundances of major muscle proteins. Compared to HL training, 6 weeks of HV training in previously trained men optimizes VL hypertrophy in lieu of enhanced iNon-MyoPS rates, and this warrants future research.

Keywords:  higher-load resistance training; higher-volume resistance training; muscle hypertrophy; myofibrillar protein; non-myofibrillar protein

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.857555
Nat Aging. 2022 ;2(2): 155-169

Scinderin promotes fusion of electron transport chain dysfunctional muscle stem cells with myofibers.

Xun Wang, Spencer D Shelton, Bogdan Bordieanu, Anderson R Frank, Yating Yi, Siva Sai Krishna Venigalla, Zhimin Gu, Nicholas P Lenser, Michael Glogauer, Navdeep S Chandel, Hu Zhao, Zhiyu Zhao, David G McFadden, Prashant Mishra.

Muscle stem cells (MuSCs) experience age-associated declines in number and function, accompanied by mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS). The source of these changes, and how MuSCs respond to mitochondrial dysfunction, is unknown. We report here that in response to mitochondrial ROS, murine MuSCs directly fuse with neighboring myofibers; this phenomenon removes ETC-dysfunctional MuSCs from the stem cell compartment. MuSC-myofiber fusion is dependent on the induction of Scinderin, which promotes formation of actin-dependent protrusions required for membrane fusion. During aging, we find that the declining MuSC population accumulates mutations in the mitochondrial genome, but selects against dysfunctional variants. In the absence of clearance by Scinderin, the decline in MuSC numbers during aging is repressed; however, ETC-dysfunctional MuSCs are retained and can regenerate dysfunctional myofibers. We propose a model in which ETC-dysfunctional MuSCs are removed from the stem cell compartment by fusing with differentiated tissue.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-021-00164-x
BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2022 Mar;pii: e002699. [Epub ahead of print]10(2):

Trimetazidine and exercise offer analogous improvements to the skeletal muscle insulin resistance of mice through Nrf2 signaling.

Wenliang Zhang, Yaoshan Dun, Baiyang You, Ling Qiu, Jeffrey W Ripley-Gonzalez, Jing Cheng, Siqian Fu, Cui Li, Suixin Liu.

   INTRODUCTION: Insulin resistance (IR) plays a key role in the pathogenesis and clinical course of patients with multiple metabolic diseases and diabetes. This study aimed to explore the effect of trimetazidine (TMZ) on skeletal muscle IR in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and explore the possible underlying mechanism.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In vivo, a HFD mouse IR model was adopted and TMZ and exercise were used to intervene. Postintervention the following were determined: blood levels of glucose and insulin, homeostasis model assessment of IR index, expression of skeletal muscle insulin signaling-related proteins phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1 (p-IRS1/IRS1) and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT/AKT), nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway, and oxidative stress. In vitro, a palmitate-treated C2C12 myotube IR model was constructed. Cellular glucose uptake, p-IRS1/IRS1, and p-AKT/AKT were determined, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was analyzed based on treatments with specific small interfering RNA of Nrf2 with or without TMZ. Western blot was used to obtain the protein expression level and ROS production by functional analysis kits.
RESULTS: In vivo, TMZ and exercise decreased the blood glucose and insulin levels and homeostasis model assessment of IR index, increased skeletal muscle insulin signaling-related protein ratios of p-IRS1/IRS1 and p-AKT/AKT, and both interventions activated Nrf2 signaling and reduced oxidative stress production in HFD mice. In vitro, TMZ reduced the oxidative stress reaction, increased the ratios of p-AKT/AKT and p-IRS1/IRS1, and attenuated the insulin stimulation of PA-induced glucose uptake. However, in the absence of Nrf2, TMZ failed to resist the effects of IR.
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that TMZ, like exercise, brought about marked improvements to HFD-induced skeletal muscle IR through TMZ, a common pathway with exercise in the form of Nrf2, regulating oxidative stress. We provide new evidence to support the use of TMZ for diabetes treatment.

Keywords:  drug therapy; exercise; insulin resistance; muscle, skeletal

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2021-002699
Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2022 Mar 29. e13816

Extreme duration exercise affects old and younger men differently.

Jacob Frandsen, Ronni Eg Sahl, Tue Rømer, Mikkel Thunestvedt Hansen, Andreas Blaaholm Nielsen, Michelle Munk Lie-Olesen, Hanne Kruuse Rasmusen, Ditte Søgaard, Arthur Ingersen, Mads Rosenkilde, Klaas Westerterp, Jens Juul Holst, Jesper Løvind Andersen, Adam Roman Markowski, Agnieszka Blachnio-Zabielska, Christoffer Clemmensen, Massimo Sacchetti, Angelo Cataldo, Marcello Traina, Steen Larsen, Flemming Dela, Jørn Wulff Helge.

   AIM & METHODS: Extreme endurance exercise provides a valuable research model for understanding the adaptive metabolic response of older and younger individuals to intense physical activity. Here, we compare a wide range of metabolic and physiologic parameters in two cohorts of seven trained men, age 30±5 years or age 65±6 years, before and after the participants travelled ≈3000 km by bicycle over 15 days.
RESULTS: Over the 15-day exercise intervention, participants lost 2-3 kg fat mass with no significant change in body weight. V̇O2 max did not change in younger cyclists, but decreased (p=0.06) in the older cohort. The resting plasma FFA concentration decreased markedly in both groups, and plasma glucose increased in the younger group. In the older cohort, plasma LDL-cholesterol and plasma triglyceride decreased. In skeletal muscle, fat transporters CD36 and FABPm remained unchanged. The glucose handling proteins GLUT4 and SNAP23 increased in both groups. Mitochondrial ROS production decreased in both groups and ADP sensitivity increased in skeletal muscle in the older but not in the younger cohort.
CONCLUSION: In summary, these data suggest that older but not younger individuals experience a negative adaptive response affecting cardiovascular function in response to extreme endurance exercise, while a positive response to the same exercise intervention is observed in peripheral tissues in younger and older men. The results also suggest that the adaptive thresholds differ in younger and old men, and this difference primarily affects central cardiovascular functions in older men after extreme endurance exercise.

Keywords:  aerobic fitness; aging; cycling; endurance exercise; energy metabolism; fat oxidation; muscle biopsy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.13816
J Exp Med. 2022 May 02. pii: e20211906. [Epub ahead of print]219(5):

Intermittent prednisone treatment in mice promotes exercise tolerance in obesity through adiponectin.

Mattia Quattrocelli, Michelle Wintzinger, Karen Miz, Manoj Panta, Ashok D Prabakaran, Grant D Barish, Navdeep S Chandel, Elizabeth M McNally.

The fat-muscle communication regulates metabolism and involves circulating signals like adiponectin. Modulation of this cross-talk could benefit muscle bioenergetics and exercise tolerance in conditions like obesity. Chronic daily intake of exogenous glucocorticoids produces or exacerbates metabolic stress, often leading to obesity. In stark contrast to the daily intake, we discovered that intermittent pulses of glucocorticoids improve dystrophic muscle metabolism. However, the underlying mechanisms, particularly in the context of obesity, are still largely unknown. Here we report that in mice with diet-induced obesity, intermittent once-weekly prednisone increased total and high-molecular weight adiponectin levels and improved exercise tolerance and energy expenditure. These effects were dependent upon adiponectin, as shown by genetic ablation of the adipokine. Upregulation of Adipoq occurred through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), as this effect was blocked by inducible GR ablation in adipocytes. The treatment increased the muscle metabolic response of adiponectin through the CAMKK2-AMPK cascade. Our study demonstrates that intermittent glucocorticoids produce healthful metabolic remodeling in diet-induced obesity.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20211906
Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022 ;10 783724

Desmin Modulates Muscle Cell Adhesion and Migration.

Coralie Hakibilen, Florence Delort, Marie-Thérèse Daher, Pierre Joanne, Eva Cabet, Olivier Cardoso, Fany Bourgois-Rocha, Cuixia Tian, Eloy Rivas, Marcos Madruga, Ana Ferreiro, Alain Lilienbaum, Patrick Vicart, Onnik Agbulut, Sylvie Hénon, Sabrina Batonnet-Pichon.

  Cellular adhesion and migration are key functions that are disrupted in numerous diseases. We report that desmin, a type-III muscle-specific intermediate filament, is a novel cell adhesion regulator. Expression of p.R406W mutant desmin, identified in patients with desmin-related myopathy, modified focal adhesion area and expression of adhesion-signaling genes in myogenic C2C12 cells. Satellite cells extracted from desmin-knock-out (DesKO) and desmin-knock-in-p.R405W (DesKI-R405W) mice were less adhesive and migrated faster than those from wild-type mice. Moreover, we observed mislocalized and aggregated vinculin, a key component of cell adhesion, in DesKO and DesKI-R405W muscles. Vinculin expression was also increased in desmin-related myopathy patient muscles. Together, our results establish a novel role for desmin in cell-matrix adhesion, an essential process for strength transmission, satellite cell migration and muscle regeneration. Our study links the patho-physiological mechanisms of desminopathies to adhesion/migration defects, and may lead to new cellular targets for novel therapeutic approaches.

Keywords:  desmin; focal adhesion; intermediate filaments; migration; myopathies; vinculin

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2022.783724
Heart Fail Rev. 2022 Mar 30.

Skeletal muscle abnormalities in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Matthew Anderson Md, Clifton Forrest Parrott, Mark J Haykowsky Ph D, Peter H Brubaker Ph D, Fan Ye Md, Bharathi Upadhya Md.

  Almost half of all heart failure (HF) disease burden is due to HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The primary symptom in patients with HFpEF, even when well compensated, is severe exercise intolerance and is associated with their reduced quality of life. Recently, studies showed that HFpEF patients have multiple skeletal muscle (SM) abnormalities, and these are associated with decreased exercise intolerance. The SM abnormalities are likely intrinsic to the HFpEF syndrome, not a secondary consequence of an epiphenomenon. These abnormalities are decreased muscle mass, reduced type I (oxidative) muscle fibers, and reduced type I-to-type II fiber ratio as well as a reduced capillary-to-fiber ratio, abnormal fat infiltration into the thigh SM, increased levels of atrophy genes and proteins, reduction in mitochondrial content, and rapid depletion of high-energy phosphate during exercise with markedly delayed repletion of high-energy phosphate during recovery in mitochondria. In addition, patients with HFpEF have impaired nitric oxide bioavailability, particularly in the microvasculature. These SM abnormalities may be responsible for impaired diffusive oxygen transport and/or impaired SM oxygen extraction. To date, exercise training (ET) and caloric restriction are some of the interventions shown to improve outcomes in HFpEF patients. Improvements in exercise tolerance following aerobic ET are largely mediated through peripheral SM adaptations with minimal change in central hemodynamics and highlight the importance of targeting SM to improve exercise intolerance in HFpEF. Focusing on the abnormalities mentioned above may improve the clinical condition of patients with HFpEF.

Keywords:  Exercise intolerance; HFpEF; Oxygen extraction; Skeletal muscle abnormalities; Skeletal myopathy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10741-022-10219-9
Neuromuscul Disord. 2022 Feb 26. pii: S0960-8966(22)00063-3. [Epub ahead of print]

Excitability Properties of Mouse and Human Skeletal Muscle Fibres Compared by Muscle Velocity Recovery Cycles.

K J Suetterlin, R Männikkö, E Matthews, L Greensmith, M G Hanna, H Bostock, S V Tan.

  Mouse models of skeletal muscle channelopathies are not phenocopies of human disease. In some cases (e.g. Myotonia Congenita) the phenotype is much more severe, whilst in others (e.g. Hypokalaemic periodic paralysis) rodent physiology is protective. This suggests a species' difference in muscle excitability properties. In humans these can be measured indirectly by the post-impulse changes in conduction velocity, using Muscle Velocity Recovery Cycles (MVRCs). We performed MVRCs in mice and compared their muscle excitability properties with humans. Mouse Tibialis Anterior MVRCs (n = 70) have only one phase of supernormality (increased conduction velocity), which is smaller in magnitude (p = 9 × 10-21), and shorter in duration (p = 3 × 10-24) than human (n = 26). This abbreviated supernormality is followed by a period of late subnormality (reduced velocity) in mice, which overlaps in time with the late supernormality seen in human MVRCs. The period of late subnormality suggests increased t-tubule Na+/K+-pump activity. The subnormal phase in mice was converted to supernormality by blocking ClC-1 chloride channels, suggesting relatively higher chloride conductance in skeletal muscle. Our findings help explain discrepancies in phenotype between mice and humans with skeletal muscle channelopathies and potentially other neuromuscular disorders. MVRCs are a valuable new tool to compare in vivo muscle membrane properties between species and will allow further dissection of the molecular mechanisms regulating muscle excitability.

Keywords:  ClC-1; Excitability; Mouse model; Muscle velocity recovery cycles (MVRCs); Skeletal muscle channelopathies; Translational gap

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nmd.2022.02.011
Hum Gene Ther. 2022 Mar 30.

The gRNA vector level determines the outcome of systemic AAV CRISPR therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Nalinda Wasala, Emily D Million, Thais Watkins, Lakmini P Wasala, Jin Han, Yongping Yue, Baisong Lu, Shi-Jie Chen, Chady Hakim, Dongsheng Duan.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated CRISPR editing holds promise to restore missing dystrophin in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Intramuscular co-injection of Cas9 and gRNA vectors resulted in robust dystrophin restoration in short-term studies in the mdx mouse model of DMD. Intriguingly, this strategy failed to yield efficient dystrophin rescue in muscle in a long-term (18-month) systemic injection study. In-depth analyses revealed a selective loss of the gRNA vector following long-term systemic, but not short-term local injection. To determine whether preferential gRNA vector depletion is due to the mode of delivery (local versus systemic) or the duration of the study (short-term versus long-term), we conducted a short-term systemic injection study. The gRNA (4e12 vg/mouse in the 1:1 group or 1.2e13 vg/mouse in the 3:1 group) and Cas9 (4e12 vg/mouse) vectors were co-injected intravenously to 4-week-old mdx mice. The ratio of the gRNA to Cas9 vector genome copy dropped from 1:1 and 3:1 at injection to 0.4:1 and 1:1 at harvest three months later, suggesting the route of administration, rather than the experimental duration, determines preferential gRNA vector loss. Consistent with our long-term systemic injection study, the vector ratio did not influence Cas9 expression. However, the 3:1 group showed significantly higher dystrophin expression and genome editing, better myofiber size distribution, and a more pronounced improvement in muscle function and electrocardiography. Our data suggest that the gRNA vector dose determines the outcome of systemic AAV CRISPR therapy for DMD.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/hum.2021.130
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2022 Mar 30.

A century of exercise physiology: key concepts in regulation of glycogen metabolism in skeletal muscle.

Abram Katz.

  Glycogen is a branched, glucose polymer and the storage form of glucose in cells. Glycogen has traditionally been viewed as a key substrate for muscle ATP production during conditions of high energy demand and considered to be limiting for work capacity and force generation under defined conditions. Glycogenolysis is catalyzed by phosphorylase, while glycogenesis is catalyzed by glycogen synthase. For many years, it was believed that a primer was required for de novo glycogen synthesis and the protein considered responsible for this process was ultimately discovered and named glycogenin. However, the subsequent observation of glycogen storage in the absence of functional glycogenin raises questions about the true role of the protein. In resting muscle, phosphorylase is generally considered to be present in two forms: non-phosphorylated and inactive (phosphorylase b) and phosphorylated and constitutively active (phosphorylase a). Initially, it was believed that activation of phosphorylase during intense muscle contraction was primarily accounted for by phosphorylation of phosphorylase b (activated by increases in AMP) to a, and that glycogen synthesis during recovery from exercise occurred solely through mechanisms controlled by glucose transport and glycogen synthase. However, it now appears that these views require modifications. Moreover, the traditional roles of glycogen in muscle function have been extended in recent years and in some instances, the original concepts have undergone revision. Thus, despite the extensive amount of knowledge accrued during the past 100 years, several critical questions remain regarding the regulation of glycogen metabolism and its role in living muscle.

Keywords:  Exercise; Glycogen; Glycogen synthase; Glycogenin; Muscle; Phosphorylase

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-04935-1
Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2022 Mar 29. e13817

The accumulation rate of ribosomes predicts muscle training-induced hypertrophy.

Jan Henriksson.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.13817
Data Brief. 2022 Jun;42 108051

Proteomics and phosphoproteomics datasets of a muscle-specific STIM1 loss-of-function mouse model.

Scott P Lyons, Rebecca J Wilson, Deborah M Muoio, Paul A Grimsrud.

  STIM1 is an ER/SR transmembrane protein that interacts with ORAI1 to activate store operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) upon ER/SR depletion of calcium. Normally highly expressed in skeletal muscle, STIM1 deficiency causes significant changes to mitochondrial ultrastructure that do not occur with loss of ORAI1 or other components of SOCE. The datasets in this article are from large-scale proteomics and phosphoproteomics experiments in an inducible mouse model of skeletal muscle-specific STIM1 knock out (KO). These data reveal statistically significant changes in the relative abundance of specific proteins and sites of protein phosphorylation in STIM1 KO gastrocnemius. Protein samples from five biological replicates of each condition (+/- STIM1) were enzymatically digested, the resulting peptides labeled with tandem mass tag (TMT) reagents, mixed, and fractionated. Phosphopeptides were enriched and a small amount of each input retained for protein abundance analysis. All phosphopeptide and input fractions were analyzed by nano LC-MS/MS on a Q Exactive Plus Orbitrap mass spectrometer, searched with Proteome Discoverer software, and processed with in-house R-scripts for data normalization and statistical analysis. Article published in Molecular Metabolism [1].

Keywords:  Calcium homeostasis; Isobaric tags; Mass spectrometry; PTM normalization; Protein abundance; Protein phosphorylation; R script

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2022.108051
Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 ;9 851491

Treating Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: The Promise of Stem Cells, Artificial Intelligence, and Multi-Omics.

Carlos D Vera, Angela Zhang, Paul D Pang, Joseph C Wu.

  Muscular dystrophies are chronic and debilitating disorders caused by progressive muscle wasting. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common type. DMD is a well-characterized genetic disorder caused by the absence of dystrophin. Although some therapies exist to treat the symptoms and there are ongoing efforts to correct the underlying molecular defect, patients with muscular dystrophies would greatly benefit from new therapies that target the specific pathways contributing directly to the muscle disorders. Three new advances are poised to change the landscape of therapies for muscular dystrophies such as DMD. First, the advent of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) allows researchers to design effective treatment strategies that make up for the gaps missed by conventional "one size fits all" strategies. By characterizing tissue alterations with single-cell resolution and having molecular profiles for therapeutic treatments for a variety of cell types, clinical researchers can design multi-pronged interventions to not just delay degenerative processes, but regenerate healthy tissues. Second, artificial intelligence (AI) will play a significant role in developing future therapies by allowing the aggregation and synthesis of large and disparate datasets to help reveal underlying molecular mechanisms. Third, disease models using a high volume of multi-omics data gathered from diverse sources carry valuable information about converging and diverging pathways. Using these new tools, the results of previous and emerging studies will catalyze precision medicine-based drug development that can tackle devastating disorders such as DMD.

Keywords:  Duchenne muscular dystrophy; artificial intelligence; cardiomyopathy; drug testing; iPSC disease modeling; single-cell technology

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.851491
Sci Rep. 2022 Mar 29. 12(1): 5327

Altered electrical properties in skeletal muscle of mice with glycogen storage disease type II.

Janice A Nagy, Carson Semple, Daniela Riveros, Benjamin Sanchez, Seward B Rutkove.

Electrical impedance methods, including electrical impedance myography, are increasingly being used as biomarkers of muscle health since they measure passive electrical properties of muscle that alter in disease. One disorder, Pompe Disease (Glycogen storage disease type II (GSDII)), remains relatively unstudied. This disease is marked by dramatic accumulation of intracellular myofiber glycogen. Here we assessed the electrical properties of skeletal muscle in a model of GSDII, the Pompe6neo/6neo (Pompe) mouse. Ex vivo impedance measurements of gastrocnemius (GA) were obtained using a dielectric measuring cell in 30-week-old female Pompe (N = 10) and WT (N = 10) mice. Longitudinal and transverse conductivity, σ, and the relative permittivity, εr, and Cole-Cole complex resistivity parameters at 0 Hz and infinite frequency, ρo and ρ∞, respectively, and the intracellular resistivity, ρintracellular were determined from the impedance data. Glycogen content (GC) was visualized histologically and quantified biochemically. At frequencies > 1 MHz, Pompe mice demonstrated significantly decreased longitudinal and transverse conductivity, increased Cole-Cole parameters, ρo and ρo-ρ∞, and decreased ρintracellular. Changes in longitudinal conductivity and ρintracellular correlated with increased GC in Pompe animals. Ex vivo high frequency impedance measures are sensitive to alterations in intracellular myofiber features considered characteristic of GSDII, making them potentially useful measures of disease status.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09328-0
Sci Rep. 2022 Mar 31. 12(1): 5476

Exercise suppresses tumor growth independent of high fat food intake and associated immune dysfunction.

Pernille Hojman, Rikke Stagaard, Emi Adachi-Fernandez, Atul S Deshmukh, Andreas Mund, Caroline H Olsen, Lena Keller, Bente K Pedersen, Julie Gehl.

Epidemiological data suggest that exercise training protects from cancer independent of BMI. Here, we aimed to elucidate mechanisms involved in voluntary wheel running-dependent control of tumor growth across chow and high-fat diets. Access to running wheels decreased tumor growth in B16F10 tumor-bearing on chow (- 50%) or high-fat diets (- 75%, p < 0.001), however, tumor growth was augmented in high-fat fed mice (+ 53%, p < 0.001). Tumor growth correlated with serum glucose (p < 0.01), leptin (p < 0.01), and ghrelin levels (p < 0.01), but not with serum insulin levels. Voluntary wheel running increased immune recognition of tumors as determined by microarray analysis and gene expression analysis of markers of macrophages, NK and T cells, but the induction of markers of macrophages and NK cells was attenuated with high-fat feeding. Moreover, we found that the regulator of innate immunity, ZBP1, was induced by wheel running, attenuated by high-fat feeding and associated with innate immune recognition in the B16F10 tumors. We observed no effects of ZBP1 on cell cycle arrest, or exercise-regulated necrosis in the tumors of running mice. Taken together, our data support epidemiological findings showing that exercise suppresses tumor growth independent of BMI, however, our data suggest that high-fat feeding attenuates exercise-mediated immune recognition of tumors.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-08850-5