Muscle Cell News Volume 1.13 | Jun 13 2016

TOP STORY

After Heart Attack, Chymase Inhibitors could Extend Cell Survival

Hints about the possibility of the heart healing itself after a heart attack came from studying mice lacking the enzyme MMCP-4 (mouse mast cell protease 4 or chymase), which experience less damage to their hearts after an artificial heart attack. [Press release from Emory University discussing online prepublication in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences] Press Release | Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLS

CUEDC2 Modulates Cardiomyocyte Oxidative Capacity by Regulating GPX1 Stability

Researchers report that CUEDC2, a CUE domain-containing protein, plays a critical role in oxidative stress-induced cardiac injury. [EMBO Mol Med] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Peroxiredoxin-2 Nitrosylation Facilitates Cardiomyogenesis of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells via XBP-1s/PI3K Pathway

Scientists demonstrated that peroxiredoxin 2 nitrosylation was involved in cardiomyocyte differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells induced by S-nitrosoglutathione. [Free Radic Biol Med] Abstract

Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Induces Apoptosis in Cultured Neonatal Rat Cardiomyocytes by Modulating the TLR4/NF-κB Pathway

Investigators evaluated whether oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced apoptosis depended in part on the activation of toll-like receptor-4(TLR4)/Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. [Sci Rep] Full Article

SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLS

MicroRNA-155 Facilitates Skeletal Muscle Regeneration by Balancing Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Macrophages

Investigators showed that genetic deletion of microRNA-155 (miR-155) in mice substantially delays muscle regeneration. Surprisingly, miR-155 does not appear to directly regulate the proliferation or differentiation of satellite cells. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

PAX7 Is a Required Target for MicroRNA-206-Induced Differentiation of Fusion-Negative Rhabdomyosarcoma

Using a combinatorial approach with gene and proteomic profiling coupled with genetic rescue, scientists identified key miR-206 targets responsible for the fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma differentiation blockade, PAX7, PAX3, NOTCH3, and CCND2. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Fgf Regulates Dedifferentiation during Skeletal Muscle Regeneration in Adult Zebrafish

Utilizing an adult zebrafish extraocular muscle regeneration model, researchers demonstrate that blocking fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) receptor function using either a chemical inhibitor (SU5402) or a dominant-negative transgenic construct (dnFGFR1a:EGFP) impairs muscle regeneration. [Cell Signal] Abstract

Sequence Context Influences the Structure and Aggregation Behavior of a PolyQ Tract

Investigators used solution NMR to study at single-residue resolution a 156-residue proteolytic fragment of the androgen receptor that contains a polyglutamine (polyQ) tract associated with the disease spinobulbar muscular atrophy, also known as Kennedy disease. [Biophys J] Abstract | Press Release

SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS

Evidence Supporting a Lymphatic Endothelium Origin for Angiomyolipoma, a TSC2⁻ Tumor Related to Lymphangioleiomyomatosis

Angiomyolipoma (AML) is a tumor closely related to lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). Both entities are characterized by the proliferation of smooth muscle actin and melanocytic glycoprotein 100–positive spindle-shaped and epithelioid cells. Scientists used an AML-derived cell line to determine whether tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)2 restitution brings about the cell type from which AML arises. [Am J Pathol] Abstract | Press Release

Leptin Augments Recruitment of IRF-1 and CREB to Thrombospondin-1 Gene Promoter in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells In Vitro

The authors previously reported that high pathophysiological concentrations of leptin, the adipocyte-secreted peptide, upregulates the expression of a potent proatherogenic matricellular protein, thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), in vascular smooth muscle cells. They identified a long TSP-1 gene promoter (-1270/+750) fragment with specific leptin response elements that was required for increased TSP-1 transcription by leptin. [Am J Physiol, Cell Physiol] Abstract

Engineered Matrices for Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cell Engraftment and Function

The authors highlight important aspects of satellite cells and their niche biology in the context of muscle regeneration, and examine recent progresses in the development of engineered cell delivery matrices designed for skeletal muscle regeneration. [Matrix Biol] Abstract

Notch Signaling in Ventricular Chamber Development & Cardiomyopathy

The authors discuss how during trabecular formation and ventricular compaction, Dll4-Notch1 signals from chamber endocardium to regulate cardiomyocyte proliferation and differentiation in a non-cell autonomous fashion and how, at later stages, myocardial Jag1 and Jag2 activate Notch1 in chamber endocardium to sustain chamber patterning and compaction with simultaneous coronary vessel development mediated by Dll4-Notch1. [FEBS J] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the muscle cell research field.

CRISPR Therapeutics and Anagenesis Biotechnologies Announce Strategic In-Licensing and Collaboration Agreement to Develop CRISPR/Cas9-Based Cell Therapies for Muscle Diseases

CRISPR Therapeutics and Anagenesis Biotechnologies announced a strategic in-licensing and collaboration agreement, which grants CRISPR Therapeutics exclusive worldwide license to Anagenesis’ proprietary Paraxial Mesoderm Multipotent Cells technology for cell therapy for all human muscle diseases. [Anagenesis Biotechnologies] Press Release

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy Awards University of Washington Grant to Support Technology to Help Optimize Gene Therapy

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy announced plans to award Dr. Guy Odom, a research assistant professor of neurology at the University of Washington, a $49,000 grant for his work in gene therapy. [Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy] Press Release

NEW Gordon Research Conference – Musculoskeletal Biology & Bioengineering
August 7-12, 2016
Andover, United States

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the muscle cell community.

NEW PhD Position – Phosphoinositides and Related Proteins Mutated in Myopathies (CERBM)

NEW Post-Doctoral Researcher – Biophysics of Cytoskeletal Motors (Pennsylvania Muscle Institute)

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

Associate Professor/Professor – Cardiovascular Research (Monash University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Regeneration of the Mammalian Heart (UT Southwestern Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow(s) – Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells and Molecular Medicine (University Paris-Est Créteil)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Skeletal Muscle Repair and Performance (GlaxoSmithKline)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Airway Smooth Muscle Biology (UCSF)

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

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

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