Muscle Cell News Volume 1.09 | May 9 2016

Targeted Ablation of Periostin-Expressing Activated Fibroblasts Prevents Adverse Cardiac Remodeling in Mice
Scientists studied the effect of cardiac fibroblast (CF) ablation on cardiac remodeling. They characterized subgroups of murine CF by single cell expression analysis and identified periostin as the marker showing the highest correlation to an activated CF phenotype. [Circ Res] Abstract

Dual Effects of VEGF-B on Activating Cardiomyocytes and Cardiac Stem Cells to Protect the Heart against Short- and Long-Term Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury
Researchers investigated whether vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B) improves myocardial survival and cardiac stem cell (CSC) function in the ischemia–reperfusion heart and promotes CSC mobilization and angiogenesis. [J Transl Med] Full Article

Molecular Profiling of Dilated Cardiomyopathy That Progresses to Heart Failure
Investigators performed RNA-seq at different stages of disease to define molecular signaling in the progression from pre-dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) hearts to DCM and overt heart failure using a genetic model of DCM. [JCI Insight] Full Article | Press Release

SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLS

Defects in Neuromuscular Transmission May Underlie Motor Dysfunction in Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy
Researchers examined synaptic function in three well-studied spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy mouse models—the AR97Q, knock-in, and myogenic₁₄₁ models—by recording in vitro miniature and evoked end-plate potentials intracellularly from adult muscle fibers. [J Neurosci] Abstract | Press Release

Ck2-Dependent Phosphorylation Is Required to Maintain Pax7 Protein Levels in Proliferating Muscle Progenitors
Scientists showed that Pax7 levels are maintained in proliferating muscle progenitors by a mechanism involving casein kinase 2-dependent Pax7 phosphorylation at S201. Point mutations preventing S201 phosphorylation or casein kinase 2 inhibition result in decreased Pax7 protein in proliferating muscle progenitors. [PLoS One] Full Article

SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS

Curcumin Exerts Its Anti-Hypertensive Effect by Down-Regulating the AT₁ Receptor in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
Scientists examined how curcumin regulates AT₁ receptor expression in vascular smooth muscle cells and investigated the physiological significance of this regulation in angiotensin II-induced hypertension. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Microstructured Human Fibroblast-Derived Extracellular Matrix Scaffold for Vascular Media Fabrication
Scaffolds were seeded with smooth muscle cells. These cells elongated and migrated in a single direction, following a specific angle relative to the direction of the aligned fibroblastic extracellular matrix. [J Tissue Eng Regen Med] Abstract

Rosuvastatin Attenuates CD40L-Induced Downregulation of Extracellular Matrix Production in Human Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells via TRAF6-JNK-NF-κB Pathway
CD40L suppressed prolyl-4-hydroxylase α1 expression in human aortic smooth muscle cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with insignificant changes in MMP2 expression and negative enzymatic activity of MMP9. [PLoS One] Full Article

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Follistatin Gene Therapy Increases Function in Inclusion Body Myositis Patients
Milo Biotechnology described promising safety and initial efficacy data in sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) patients treated with follistatin gene therapy. In total, nine sIBM patients received follistatin gene therapy treatments and have been followed up to four years. [Press release from Milo Biotechnology discussing research presented at the 19^th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT), Washington, DC] Press Release

Processed Fat Cells Show Potential as Treatment for Refractory Ischemia Patients
Patients treated with processed autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells injected into the heart muscle demonstrated symptomatic improvement and a trend towards lower rates of heart failure hospitalizations and angina, despite no improvement in left ventricle ejection fraction or ventricular volumes. [Press release from the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) discussing research presented at the SCAI 2016 Scientific Sessions, Orlando] Press Release

Utah Study Finds Improvements in Warfarin Use for Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Necessary to Protect Kidney Function and Heart Health
Atrial fibrillation patients taking Warfarin, a popular blood-thinning drug, are at higher risk of developing kidney failure if anticoagulation levels are not properly managed, according to a new study from researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute. [Press release from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute discussing research presented at the Heart Rhythm Society’s 37^th Annual Scientific Sessions, San Francisco] Press Release

New Study Finds Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Who Are Treated with Common Blood Thinner Have Higher Rates of Dementia
A new study by researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute of more than 10,000 patients treated long term with the blood thinner, Warfarin, revealed higher rates of dementia for patients with atrial fibrillation versus patients without the common heart rhythm disorder. [Press release from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute discussing research presented at the Heart Rhythm Society’s 37^th Annual Scientific Sessions, San Francisco] Press Release

Study Finds Cardiac Ablation Doesn’t Reduce Atrial Fibrillation Risk for Patients with Syndrome
Patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome who receive catheter ablation to cure their abnormal heart rhythms are just as likely as non-ablated patients to develop atrial fibrillation no matter what age they receive ablation, according to a new study. [Press release from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute discussing research presented at the Heart Rhythm Society’s 37^th Annual Scientific Sessions, San Francisco] Press Release

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Axiogenesis Secures Major Funding for Its Expansion Course
Axiogenesis has acquired a major investment from Sino-German High-Tech Fund to further expand product development, strengthen its disease modeling capabilities and increase market presence. Axiogenesis’ current product portfolio includes several validated induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiac and neural cell types. [Axiogenesis AG (PR Newswire Association LLC)] Press Release

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Genome Editing for Striated Muscle Regeneration (Duke University)

Research Technologist – Myogenic and Progenitor Cell (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Chemical and Structural Biology of RNA (The Scripps Research Institute)

PhD Positions – Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC)

Research Technician – Myogenesis, Neurogenesis and Related Diseases (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

PhD Position – Muscle Fiber Type Switch in Congenital Myopathies (King’s College London)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Pathogenesis of Heart and Vascular Injury (University of Alberta)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Stem Cell Biology Regenerative Medicine (NUI Galway)

Research Assistant – Skeletal Muscle Cell Biology (Nestlé)

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