Involvement of myogenic regulator factors during fusion in the cell line C2C12

The myogenic factors, MyoD, myogenin, Myf5 and MRF4, can activate skeletal muscle differentiation when overexpressed in non-muscular cells. Gene targeting experiments have provided much insight into the in vivo functions of MRF and have defined two functional groups of MRFs. MyoD and Myf5 may be necessary for myoblast determination while myogenin and MRF4 may be required later during differentiation. However, the specific role of these myogenic factors has not been clearly defined during one important stage of myogenesis: the fusion of myoblasts. Using cultured C2C12 mouse muscular cells, the time-course of these proteins was analyzed and a distinct expression pattern in fusing cells was revealed. In an attempt to clarify the role of each of these regulators during myoblast fusion, an antisense strategy using oligonucleotides with phosphorothioate backbone modification was adoped. The results showed that the inhibition of myogenin and Myf5 activity is capable of significantly preventing fusion. Furthermore, the inhibition of MyoD can wholly arrest the engaged fusion process in spite of high endogenous expression of both myogenin and Myf5. Consequently, each MRF seems to have, at this defined step of myogenesis, a specific set of functions that can not be substituted for by the others and therefore may regulate a distinct subset of muscle-specific genes at the onset of fusion.     

MRFs家族基因在翘嘴鳜成体不同组织及器官中的表达特征

生肌调节因子(MRFs)家族成员包括MRF4、Myf5、Myogenin和MyoD,是肌肉形成的关键控制因素,其作为一种转录因子在肌肉的发育分化过程中发挥重要作用。本研究通过RT-qPCR方法分析MRFs家族基因在翘嘴鳜成体中不同组织及器官的表达情况,阐明其在肌肉组织中的特异性表达。结果显示:MRFs家族基因在成体翘嘴鳜肌肉、心脏、肝脏、脾脏、肾脏、肠道和脑组织及器官中均检测到表达,且在肌肉中的表达量显著高于其他组织及器官中的表达量(p<0.05)。为研究生肌调节因子在翘嘴鳜肌肉发育过程中的作用提供了基础资料。