Age-associated decrease in muscle precursor cell differentiation

Muscle precursor cells (MPCs) are required for the regrowth, regeneration, and/or hypertrophy of skeletal muscle, which are deficient in sarcopenia. In the present investigation, we have addressed the issue of age-associated changes in MPC differentiation. MPCs, including satellite cells, were isolated from both young and old rat skeletal muscle with a high degree of myogenic purity (>90% MyoD and desmin positive). MPCs isolated from skeletal muscle of 32-mo-old rats exhibited decreased differentiation into myotubes and demonstrated decreased myosin heavy chain (MHC) and muscle creatine kinase (CK-M) expression compared with MPCs isolated from 3-mo-old rats. p27^Kip1 is a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that has been shown to enhance muscle differentiation in culture. Herein we describe our finding that p27^Kip1 protein was lower in differentiating MPCs from skeletal muscle of 32-mo-old rats than in 3-mo-old rat skeletal muscle. Although MHC and CK-M expression were 50% lower in differentiating MPCs isolated from 32-mo-old rats, MyoD protein content was not different and myogenin protein concentration was twofold higher. These data suggest that there are inherent differences in cell signaling during the transition from cell cycle arrest to the formation of myotubes in MPCs isolated from sarcopenic muscle. Furthermore, there is an age-associated decrease in muscle-specific protein expression in differentiating MPCs despite normal MyoD and elevated myogenin levels. satellite cells; skeletal muscle; p27^Kip1; myogenic regulatory factors     

P21 Deficiency Delays Regeneration of Skeletal Muscular Tissue

The potential relationship between cell cycle checkpoint control and tissue regeneration has been indicated. Despite considerable research being focused on the relationship between p21 and myogenesis, p21 function in skeletal muscle regeneration remains unclear. To clarify this, muscle injury model was recreated by intramuscular injection of bupivacaine hydrochloride in the soleus of p21 knockout (KO) mice and wild type (WT) mice. The mice were sacrificed at 3, 14, and 28 days post-operation. The results of hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunofluorescence of muscle membrane indicated that muscle regeneration was delayed in p21 KO mice. Cyclin D1 mRNA expression and both Ki-67 and PCNA immunohistochemistry suggested that p21 deficiency increased cell cycle and muscle cell proliferation. F4/80 immunohistochemistry also suggested the increase of immune response in p21 KO mice. On the other hand, both the mRNA expression and western blot analysis of MyoD, myogenin, and Pax7 indicated that muscular differentiation was delayed in p21KO mice. Considering these results, we confirmed that muscle injury causes an increase in cell proliferation. However, muscle differentiation in p21 KO mice was inhibited due to the low expression of muscular synthesis genes, leading to a delay in the muscular regeneration. Thus, we conclude that p21 plays an important role in the in vivo healing process in muscular injury.     

The role of p53 in vivo during skeletal muscle post-natal development and regeneration: studies in p53 knockout mice

The tumour suppressor gene p53 is recognised as a central regulator of the cell cycle and apoptosis. Post-natally, p53 mutations are associated with many cancers and mice lacking p53 are prone to spontaneous tumour formation. The present study examines skeletal muscle formation in post-natal mice lacking p53 using two different models of skeletal muscle regeneration. The level of endogenous myogenic cell proliferation in mature skeletal muscle was examined and the time course of muscle regeneration after whole muscle transplantation or crush injury were compared in p53 (-/-) and control C57Bl/6J adult mice, using desmin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry and histological analysis. The pattern of inflammation, myoblast proliferation and myotube formation in regenerating p53 (-/-) skeletal muscles appears normal and similar to those in control C57Bl/6J muscle. These data indicate that p53 is not required for the regulation of myoblast proliferation, differentiation and myotube formation in vivo during myogenesis of adult skeletal muscle.     

Regeneration of the exocrine pancreas is delayed in telomere-dysfunctional mice

Introduction

Telomere shortening is a cell-intrinsic mechanism that limits cell proliferation by induction of DNA damage responses resulting either in apoptosis or cellular senescence. Shortening of telomeres has been shown to occur during human aging and in chronic diseases that accelerate cell turnover, such as chronic hepatitis. Telomere shortening can limit organ homeostasis and regeneration in response to injury. Whether the same holds true for pancreas regeneration in response to injury is not known.

Methods

In the present study, pancreatic regeneration after acute cerulein-induced pancreatitis was studied in late generation telomerase knockout mice with short telomeres compared to telomerase wild-type mice with long telomeres.

Results

Late generation telomerase knockout mice exhibited impaired exocrine pancreatic regeneration after acute pancreatitis as seen by persistence of metaplastic acinar cells and markedly reduced proliferation. The expression levels of p53 and p21 were not significantly increased in regenerating pancreas of late generation telomerase knockout mice compared to wild-type mice.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that pancreatic regeneration is limited in the context of telomere dysfunction without evidence for p53 checkpoint activation.     

Sirt1 increases skeletal muscle precursor cell proliferation

It is important to understand the mechanisms that control muscle precursor cell (MPC) proliferation for the development of countermeasures to offset the deleterious effects of the aging-related loss of skeletal muscle mass (and myonuclei) and the impaired ability of old muscle to regrow and regenerate. Over-expression of the NAD+-dependent histone deacetylase Sirt1 increased MPC proliferation and cell cycle progression as evidenced by increased 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, an increase in cell number, proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression, and the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein. Associated with the Sirt1-mediated increase in MPC cycle progression were the bidirectional decreases and increases in the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21(Waf/Cip1) and p27(Kip1), respectively. Based upon our recent observation that lowering oxygen (O2) in culture from ambient (20%) to estimated physiological levels (5%) increased MPC proliferation, we next measured Sirt1 protein at 5% and 20% O2. Interestingly, in addition to increased proliferation in MPCs cultured at 5% O2, Sirt1 expression increased, compared to 20% O2. Using O2 levels as a platform to modulate basal Sirt1 protein, activation of Sirt1 activity with resveratrol in 20% O2 increased MPC proliferation while inhibition of Sirt1 with nicotinamide in 5% O2 lowered proliferation. For the first time, Sirt1 has been shown to increase MPC proliferation. These findings could have clinical significance since MPC proliferation has important implications in regulating skeletal muscle growth, maintenance, and repair, and the aging-related loss of skeletal muscle mass.     

PKCθ signaling is required for myoblast fusion by regulating the expression of caveolin-3 and β1D integrin upstream focal adhesion kinase

Fusion of mononucleated myoblasts to form multinucleated myofibers is an essential phase of skeletal myogenesis, which occurs during muscle development as well as during postnatal life for muscle growth, turnover, and regeneration. Many cell adhesion proteins, including integrins, have been shown to be important for myoblast fusion in vertebrates, and recently focal adhesion kinase (FAK), has been proposed as a key mediator of myoblast fusion. Here we focused on the possible role of PKC, the PKC isoform predominantly expressed in skeletal muscle, in myoblast fusion. We found that the expression of PKC is strongly up-regulated following freeze injury-induced muscle regeneration, as well as during in vitro differentiation of satellite cells (SCs; the muscle stem cells). Using both PKC knockout and muscle-specific PKC dominant-negative mutant mouse models, we observed delayed body and muscle fiber growth during the first weeks of postnatal life, when compared with wild-type (WT) mice. We also found that myofiber formation, during muscle regeneration after freeze injury, was markedly impaired in PKC mutant mice, as compared with WT. This phenotype was associated with reduced expression of the myogenic differentiation program executor, myogenin, but not with that of the SC marker Pax7. Indeed in vitro differentiation of primary muscle-derived SCs from PKC mutants resulted in the formation of thinner myotubes with reduced numbers of myonuclei and reduced fusion rate, when compared with WT cells. These effects were associated to reduced expression of the profusion genes caveolin-3 and β1D integrin and to reduced activation/phosphorylation of their up-stream regulator FAK. Indeed the exogenous expression of a constitutively active mutant form of PKC in muscle cells induced FAK phosphorylation. Moreover pharmacologically mediated full inhibition of FAK activity led to similar fusion defects in both WT and PKC-null myoblasts. We thus propose that PKC signaling regulates myoblast fusion by regulating, at least in part, FAK activity, essential for profusion gene expression.     

Impaired Skeletal Muscle Regeneration in the Absence of Fibrosis during Hibernation in 13-Lined Ground Squirrels

Skeletal muscle atrophy can occur as a consequence of immobilization and/or starvation in the majority of vertebrates studied. In contrast, hibernating mammals are protected against the loss of muscle mass despite long periods of inactivity and lack of food intake. Resident muscle-specific stem cells (satellite cells) are known to be activated by muscle injury and their activation contributes to the regeneration of muscle, but whether satellite cells play a role in hibernation is unknown. In the hibernating 13-lined ground squirrel we show that muscles ablated of satellite cells were still protected against atrophy, demonstrating that satellite cells are not involved in the maintenance of skeletal muscle during hibernation. Additionally, hibernating skeletal muscle showed extremely slow regeneration in response to injury, due to repression of satellite cell activation and myoblast differentiation caused by a fine-tuned interplay of p21, myostatin, MAPK, and Wnt signaling pathways. Interestingly, despite long periods of inflammation and lack of efficient regeneration, injured skeletal muscle from hibernating animals did not develop fibrosis and was capable of complete recovery when animals emerged naturally from hibernation. We propose that hibernating squirrels represent a new model system that permits evaluation of impaired skeletal muscle remodeling in the absence of formation of tissue fibrosis.     

Mice deficient in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 have improved skeletal muscle regeneration

Skeletal muscle possesses a remarkable capacity for regeneration. Although the regulation of this process at the molecular level remains largely undefined, the plasminogen system appears to play a critical role. Specifically, mice deficient in either urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA^–/– mice) or plasminogen demonstrate markedly impaired muscle regeneration after injury. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that loss of the primary inhibitor of uPA, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), would improve muscle regeneration. Repair of the extensor digitorum longus muscle was assessed after cardiotoxin injury in wild-type, uPA^–/–, and PAI-1-deficient (PAI-1^–/–) mice. As expected, there was no uPA activity in the injured muscles of uPA^–/– mice, and muscles from these transgenic animals demonstrated impaired regeneration. On the other hand, uPA activity was increased in injured muscle from PAI-1^–/– mice to a greater extent than in wild-type controls. Furthermore, PAI-1^–/– mice demonstrated increased expression of MyoD and developmental myosin after injury as well as accelerated recovery of muscle morphology, protein levels, and muscle force compared with wild-type animals. The injured muscles of PAI-1-null mice also demonstrated increased macrophage accumulation, contrasting with impaired macrophage accumulation in uPA-deficient mice. The extent of macrophage accumulation correlated with both the clearance of protein after injury and the efficiency of regeneration. Taken together, these results indicate that PAI-1 deficiency promotes muscle regeneration, and this protease inhibitor represents a therapeutic target for enhancing muscle regeneration. muscle injury; muscle repair; urokinase-type plasminogen activator; muscle inflammation; macrophage     

Caspase-2 is required for skeletal muscle differentiation and myogenesis

Caspase activation plays a crucial role in skeletal muscle differentiation. We previously found that caspase-2 activity increases during skeletal muscle cell differentiation; however, its direct effect on differentiation has not been fully investigated. Here, we found that caspase-2 activity transiently increased more than two-fold within 24 h following induction of differentiation. Both pharmacological inhibition and shRNA-mediated knockdown of caspase-2 suppressed myogenic differentiation and dramatically impaired myotube formation. Furthermore, shRNA-mediated knockdown prevented induction of p21 and altered cell cycle profiles. Interestingly, caspase-3 activity was also dramatically reduced following caspase-2 inhibition or ablation. Moreover, caspase-2 and p21 were localized to the nucleus during early differentiation. Given the nuclear localization of caspase-2 and p21, as well as the impairment in p21 induction in caspase-2 knockdown cells, we propose that the role of caspase-2 is to regulate p21 induction at the onset of differentiation, which may regulate the myogenic program. Collectively, these results highlight a novel function for caspase-2 in myocyte differentiation and myogenesis.     

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator plays essential roles in macrophage chemotaxis and skeletal muscle regeneration

Although macrophages are thought to play important roles in tissue repair, the molecular mechanisms involved remain to be elucidated. Mice deficient in urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA-/-) exhibit decreased accumulation of macrophages following muscle injury and severely impaired muscle regeneration. We tested whether macrophage-derived uPA plays essential roles in macrophage chemotaxis and skeletal muscle regeneration. Macrophage uPA was required for chemotaxis, even when invasion through matrix was not necessary. The mechanism by which macrophage uPA promoted chemotaxis was independent of receptor binding but appeared to depend on proteolytic activity. Exogenous uPA restored chemotaxis to uPA-/- macrophages and rescued muscle regeneration in uPA-/- mice. Macrophage depletion in wild-type (WT) mice using clodronate liposomes resulted in impaired muscle regeneration, confirming that macrophages are required for efficient healing. Furthermore, transfer of WT bone marrow cells to uPA-/- mice restored macrophage accumulation and muscle regeneration. In this rescue, transferred WT cells appeared to contribute to IGF-1 expression but did not fuse to regenerating fibers. These data indicate that WT leukocytes, including macrophages, that express uPA were sufficient to rescue muscle regeneration in uPA-/- mice. Overall, the results indicate that uPA plays a fundamental role in macrophage chemotaxis and that macrophage-derived uPA promotes efficient muscle regeneration.     

Impairment of osteoblast differentiation due to proliferation-independent telomere dysfunction in mouse models of accelerated aging

We undertook genetic and nongenetic approaches to investigate the relationship between telomere maintenance and osteoblast differentiation, as well as to uncover a possible link between a known mediator of cellular aging and senile bone loss. Using mouse models of disrupted telomere maintenance molecules, including mutants in the Werner helicase (Wrn(-/-) ), telomerase (Terc(-/-) ), and Wrn(-/-) Terc(-/-) double mutants predisposed to accelerated bone loss, we measured telomere dysfunction-induced foci (TIFs) and markers of osteoblast differentiation in mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs). We found that telomere maintenance is directly and significantly related to osteoblast differentiation, with dysfunctional telomeres associated with impaired differentiation independent of proliferation state. Telomere-mediated defects in osteoblast differentiation are associated with increased p53/p21 expression and concomitant reduction in RUNX2. Conversely, MPCs from p53(-/-) mice do not have substantial telomere dysfunction and spontaneously differentiate into osteoblasts. These results suggest that critical telomere dysfunction may be a prominent mechanism for age-related osteoporosis and limits MPC differentiation into bone-forming cells via the p53/p21 pathway.     

Skeletal muscle atrophy is associated with an increased expression of myostatin and impaired satellite cell function in the portacaval anastamosis rat

Proliferation and differentiation of satellite cells are critical in the regeneration of atrophied muscle following immobilization and aging. We hypothesized that impaired satellite cell function is responsible for the atrophy of skeletal muscle also seen in cirrhosis. Myostatin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) have been identified to be positive and negative regulators, respectively, of satellite cell function. Using a rat model of cirrhosis [portacaval anastamosis (PCA)] and sham-operated controls, we examined the expression of myostatin, its receptor activinR2b, and its downstream messenger cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (CDKI p21) as well as IGF1 and its receptor in the gastrocnemius muscle. Expression of PCNA, a marker of proliferation, and myogenic regulatory factors (myoD, myf5, and myogenin), markers of differentiation of satellite cells, were also measured. Real- time PCR for mRNA and Western blot assay for protein quantification were performed. PCA rats had lower body weight and gastrocnemius weight compared with sham animals (P < 0.05). PCNA and myogenic regulatory factors were lower in PCA rats (P < 0.05). Myostatin, activinR2b, and CDKI p21 were higher in the PCA animals (P < 0.05). The expression of IGF1 and its receptor was lower in liver and skeletal muscle of PCA animals (P < 0.05). These data suggest that skeletal muscle atrophy seen in the portacaval shunted rats is a consequence of impaired satellite cell proliferation and differentiation mediated, in part, by higher myostatin and lower IGF1 expression.     

TWEAK, via its receptor Fn14, is a novel regulator of mesenchymal progenitor cells and skeletal muscle regeneration

Inflammation participates in tissue repair through multiple mechanisms including directly regulating the cell fate of resident progenitor cells critical for successful regeneration. Upon surveying target cell types of the TNF ligand TWEAK, we observed that TWEAK binds to all progenitor cells of the mesenchymal lineage and induces NF-kappaB activation and the expression of pro-survival, pro-proliferative and homing receptor genes in the mesenchymal stem cells, suggesting that this pro-inflammatory cytokine may play an important role in controlling progenitor cell biology. We explored this potential using both the established C2C12 cell line and primary mouse muscle myoblasts, and demonstrated that TWEAK promoted their proliferation and inhibited their terminal differentiation. By generating mice deficient in the TWEAK receptor Fn14, we further showed that Fn14-deficient primary myoblasts displayed significantly reduced proliferative capacity and altered myotube formation. Following cardiotoxin injection, a known trigger for satellite cell-driven skeletal muscle regeneration, Fn14-deficient mice exhibited reduced inflammatory response and delayed muscle fiber regeneration compared with wild-type mice. These results indicate that the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway is a novel regulator of skeletal muscle precursor cells and illustrate an important mechanism by which inflammatory cytokines influence tissue regeneration and repair. Coupled with our recent demonstration that TWEAK potentiates liver progenitor cell proliferation, the expression of Fn14 on all mesenchymal lineage progenitor cells supports a broad involvement of this pathway in other tissue injury and disease settings.