Muscle Cell News Volume 2.06 | Feb 27 2017

TOP STORY

Deficiency of the Hepatokine Selenoprotein P Increases Responsiveness to Exercise in Mice through Upregulation of Reactive Oxygen Species and AMP-Activated Protein Kinase in Muscle

Scientists showed that the anti-oxidative hepatokine selenoprotein P causes exercise resistance through its muscle receptor low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein 1. [Nat Med] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLS

Resolving Heart Regeneration by Replacement Histone Profiling

The authors generated transgenic zebrafish expressing a biotinylatable H3.3 histone variant in cardiomyocyte and derived cell-type-specific profiles of histone replacement. They identified an emerging program of putative enhancers that revise H3.3 occupancy during regeneration, overlaid upon a genome-wide reduction of H3.3 from promoters. [Dev Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Ginsenoside Rg5 Increases Cardiomyocyte Resistance to Ischemic Injury through Regulation of Mitochondrial Hexokinase-II and Dynamin-Related Protein 1

Researchers investigated the cardioprotective effect of ginsenoside Rg5 with emphasis on the regulation of mitochondrial hexokinase-II (HK-II) and dynamin-related protein 1. Saturated acid palmitate stimulation increased lactate accumulation and induced cellular acidification by impairing the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase in cardiomyocytes, leading to HK-II dissociation from mitochondria. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Cardiomyocyte Differentiation Promotes Cell Survival during Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase Inhibition through Increased Maintenance of Cellular Energy Stores

Investigators examined the effects of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) inhibition among multiple time points of cardiomyocyte differentiation. Overall, these studies showed that in vitro cardiomyogenic commitment and continued culturing provides resistance to NAMPT inhibition and cell survival is associated with the ability to maintain cellular ATP pools despite depletion of NAD levels. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Full Article

Taurine Ameliorated Homocysteine-Induced H9C2 Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis by Modulating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Scientists aimed to evaluate the opposite effects of taurine on homocysteine (Hcy)-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and their underlying mechanisms. Their results demonstrated that low-dose or short-term Hcy treatment increased the expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 and activated protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase, inositol-requiring enzyme 1, and activating transcription factor 6, which in turn prevented apoptotic cell death. [Apoptosis] Abstract

SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLS

Pathogenic Role of Anti-SRP and Anti-HMGCR Antibodies in Necrotizing Myopathies: Myofiber Atrophy and Impairment of Muscle Regeneration in Necrotizing Autoimmune Myopathies

Immune mediated necrotizing myopathies may be associated with either anti-SRP or anti-HMGCR antibodies (Abs) and the titer of these Abs is correlated with the disease activity. The authors investigated if anti-SRP and anti-HMGCR Abs could be involved in muscle damages. [Ann Neurol] Abstract

Abnormal Epigenetic Changes during Differentiation of Human Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells from Obese Subjects

Investigators observed genome-wide changes in DNA methylation and expression patterns during differentiation of primary human muscle stem cells. They identified epigenetic and transcriptional changes of myogenic transcription factors, cell cycle regulators, metabolic enzymes and genes previously not linked to myogenesis, including IL32, metallothioneins, and pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoproteins. [BMC Med] Full Article | Press Release

The Hypoxia-Inducible Factors HIF1α and HIF2α Are Dispensable for Embryonic Muscle Development but Essential for Postnatal Muscle Regeneration

Using transgene mouse models for cell-specific hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) expression, researchers showed that HIF1α and HIF2α are preferentially expressed in pre- and post-differentiation myoblasts, respectively. Double knockouts of HIF1α and HIF2α generated with the MyoDCre system in embryonic myoblasts resulted in apparently normal muscle development and growth. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article

SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS

BMP4 Inhibits PDGF-Induced Proliferation and Collagen Synthesis via PKA-Mediated Inhibition of Calpain-2 in Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells

Scientists investigated the effect of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) on PDGF-induced proliferation and collagen synthesis in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. [Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol] Abstract

The MicroRNA miR-124 Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation by Targeting S100 Calcium-Binding Protein A4 (S100A4)

S100A4 induces proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Investigators aimed to find the microRNA regulating S100A4 expression. VSMC survival was attenuated by miR-124O mimic but increased by miR-124 inhibitor. [FEBS Lett] Abstract

Cell Therapy for Heart Disease after 15 Years: Unmet Expectations

The authors comprehensively outline the positive and negative results of cell therapy studies in patients with acute myocardial infarction, refractory angina and chronic heart failure. They discuss cell therapy- and patient-related variables (e.g. cell intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics, as well as criteria of patient selection and proposed methodologies) that might have dampened the efficacy of past cell therapy trials. They address critical factors to be considered before embarking on further clinical trials. [Pharmacol Res] Abstract

Regulation of the Microenvironment for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

The authors summarize the approaches to modulate biochemical, electrical, biomechanical and spatial factors to induce cardiomyocytes differentiation and their subsequent organization for cardiac tissue engineering application. [Regen Med] Abstract

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

Sarepta Therapeutics Agrees to Sale of Priority Review Voucher for $125M

Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. announced it has entered into an agreement to sell its Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher (PRV). Sarepta received the PRV when EXONDYS 51^TM was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy amenable to exon 51 skipping. [Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

$2.5 Million Grant Targets Mysteries of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

University of Virginia researchers received a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to build a computer model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. [University of Virginia] Press Release

Two Top Chinese-American Scientists Have Dropped Their U.S. Citizenship

Two top Chinese scientists, one a Nobel laureate and the other a winner of a top computer science prize, have renounced their U.S. citizenship to become citizens of China. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

U.S. Researchers Guilty of Misconduct Later Won More than $100 Million in NIH Grants, Study Finds

Many believe that once a scientist is found guilty of research misconduct, his or her scientific career is over. But a new study suggests that, for many U.S. researchers judged to have misbehaved, there is such a thing as a second chance. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Biologists Propose to Sequence the DNA of All Life on Earth

At a meeting organized by the Smithsonian Initiative on Biodiversity Genomics and the Shenzhen, China–based sequencing powerhouse BGI, a small group of researchers upped the ante even more, announcing their intent to, eventually, sequence “all life on Earth.” [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Keystone Symposium: Angiogenesis & Vascular Disease
May 8-12, 2017
Santa Fe, United States

NEW Keystone Symposium: Mitochondria, Metabolism & Heart
May 8-12, 2017
Santa Fe, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellowship – Heart Regeneration (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles – University of Southern California)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Cardiovascular Research (Rutgers New Jersey Medical School)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacogenomics (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Candidate – Cardiovascular Biology and Disease (University at Buffalo)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cell and Gene Therapy for Cardiac Arrhythmias (Duke University)

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

Postdoctoral Position – In Vitro Modeling of Human Skeletal Muscle Disease (Duke University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – hiPSC-based Heart Repair (Duke University)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Muscle Biology and Muscle Disease (University of Pennsylvania)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Epigenomics of Cardiac Development and iPSC/ESC Differentiation (Stanford Cardiovascular Institute)

Assistant/Associate Professor – Physiology and Cell Biology (University of Nevada)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cardiovascular Research (Thomas Jefferson University)

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