Muscle Cell News Volume 3.22 | Jun 25 2018

TOP STORY

SmgGDS Prevents Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Formation and Rupture by Phenotypic Preservation of Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells

Mechanistically, Apoe^-/-SmgGDS^+/- mice showed significantly higher levels of oxidative stress, matrix metalloproteinases, and inflammatory cell migration in the ascending aorta compared with Apoe^-/- mice. [Circulation] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLS

The Transcription Factor ETV1 Induces Atrial Remodeling and Arrhythmia

The transcription factor ETV1 was significantly upregulated in atrial tissue from patients with permanent atrial fibrillation. Mice with cardiac myocyte-specific overexpression of ETV1 under control of the myosin heavy chain promoter developed atrial dilatation, fibrosis, thrombosis and arrhythmia. [Circ Res] Abstract

Distinct Submembrane Localization Compartmentalizes Cardiac NPR1 and NPR2 Signaling to cGMP

Researchers used a scanning ion conductance microscopy approach combined with Förster resonance energy transfer-based 3′,5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) biosensors to show that whereas natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR)2 is uniformly localized on the cardiomyocyte membrane, functional NPR1 receptors are found exclusively in membrane invaginations called transverse-tubules. [Nat Commun] Full Article

TRPV4 Increases Cardiomyocyte Calcium Cycling and Contractility Yet Contributes to Damage in the Aged Heart following Hypoosmotic Stress

Scientists examined the role of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) in cardiomyocyte Ca²⁺ homeostasis following hypoosmotic stress and to assess the contribution of TRPV4 to cardiac contractility and tissue damage following ischemia-reperfusion. [Cardiovasc Res] Abstract

Cardiac-Derived CTRP9 Protects against Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via Calreticulin-Dependent Inhibition of Apoptosis

Cardiomyocyte C1q/TNF-related protein 9 (CTRP9) overexpression inhibited simulated ischemia/reperfusion-induced apoptosis, an effect abrogated by CTRP9 antibody. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

An Essential Role for Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in Mediating Hypertensive Heart Disease

In rats with chronic infusion of angiotensin II (Ang II), eight Wnt ligands were induced and β-catenin activated in both cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts. Blockade of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by small molecule inhibitor ICG-001 restrained Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy by normalizing heart size and inhibiting hypertrophic marker genes. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Amelioration of High Fructose-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy by Naringin

Researchers evaluated protective effects of naringin against fructose-induced cardiac hypertrophy and associated mechanisms of action, using in vitro and in vivo models. [Sci Rep] Full Article

CaMKIIδ-Mediated Inflammatory Gene Expression and Inflammasome Activation in Cardiomyocytes Initiate Inflammation and Induce Fibrosis

Scientists demonstrated that deletion of CaMKIIδ in the cardiomyocyte significantly attenuates activation of NF-κB, expression of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, and macrophage accumulation induced by angiotensin II infusion. [JCI Insight] Full Article

SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLS

Local Arrangement of Fibronectin by Myofibroblasts Governs Peripheral Nuclear Positioning in Muscle Cells

Investigators showed that peripheral nuclear positioning is triggered by local accumulation of fibronectin secreted by myofibroblasts. They demonstrated that fibronectin via α5-integrin mediates peripheral nuclear positioning dependent on FAK and Src activation. [Dev Cell] Full Article

High-Fat Diet Unveils an Enhancer Element at the Ped/Pea-15 Gene Responsible for Epigenetic Memory in Skeletal Muscle

Sixteen-week exposure of C57BL/6 J mice to a high-fat diet impaired glucose tolerance and enhanced Ped/Pea-15 expression in their skeletal muscle tissue. This effect was associated with increased chromatin accessibility at specific regulatory sites at the Ped/Pea-15 gene. [Metabolism] Abstract

SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS

Therapeutic Targeting of Vascular Remodeling and Right Heart Failure in PAH with HIF-2α Inhibitor

Researchers determined whether targeting HIF-2α with a HIF-2α-selective inhibitor could reverse pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and right heart failure in different rodent PAH models. [Am J Respir Crit Care Med] Abstract

RBPJ Binds to Consensus and Methylated cis Elements within Phased Nucleosomes and Controls Gene Expression in Human Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells in Cooperation with SRF

Investigators used genome-wide approaches to identify RBPJ binding regions in human aortic smooth muscle cells and to assess RBPJ’s effects on chromatin structure and gene expression. [Nucleic Acids Res] Full Article

Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Extracellular Matrix News & ESC & iPSC News.

Extracellular Matrix-Driven Congenital Muscular Dystrophies

Scientists summarize the clinical features of two of the most common congenital muscular dystrophies, COL6-related dystrophies and LAMA2-related dystrophies, which are caused by mutations in muscle extracellular matrix and basement membrane proteins. [Matrix Biol] Abstract

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

Sarepta Therapeutics Announces That at Its First R&D Day, Jerry Mendell, M.D. Presented Positive Preliminary Results from the First Three Children Dosed in the Phase I/IIa Gene Therapy Micro-Dystrophin Trial to Treat Patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. announced that at the company’s R&D Day, Jerry Mendell, M.D. of Nationwide Children’s Hospital presented positive preliminary results from its Phase I/IIa gene therapy clinical trial assessing AAVrh74.MHCK7.micro-Dystrophin in individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. [Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals Receives $3.4M Grant from NINDS to Advance New Therapies for ALS

Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals announced that it has been awarded $3.4 million from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) in a competing grant to advance novel therapeutic drug candidates towards the clinic for treating patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). [Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals] Press Release

Revance Doses First Patient in ASPEN Phase III Clinical Program of RT002 Injectable for the Treatment of Cervical Dystonia

Revance Therapeutics, Inc. announced initiation of patient dosing in the company’s ASPEN Phase III clinical program for its investigational drug candidate DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection for the treatment of cervical dystonia. [Revance Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

White House Proposes a Narrowing of FDA’s Mission — And a New Name

The Trump administration has proposed a fundamental change to the mission of the FDA, one that would transfer most of the responsibility for regulating food safety to the Department of Agriculture and rename the FDA the “Federal Drug Administration”. [STAT News] Editorial

US–Chinese Trade War Puts Scientists in the Cross Hairs

Scientific research in the United States could become collateral damage in the country’s escalating trade dispute with China. Both countries went head-to-head in mid-June over tariffs on a long list of goods that includes lab equipment and reagents. That is likely to increase the cost of scientific research, and the impact could be felt more keenly in US labs. [Nature News] Editorial

African Scientists Launch Their Own Preprint

A group of open science advocates have launched the first preprint aimed exclusively at African scientists. AfricArxiv seeks to improve the visibility of African science by helping academics share their work quickly, say co-founders Justin Ahinon, and Jo Havemann. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB): Cross-Translational Research in Fibrosis across Organs
September 30-October 5, 2018
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

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

NEW Research Associate – Smooth Muscle Cells (University of Cambridge)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunoengineering for Muscle Regeneration (Duke University)

PhD Position – Mechanobiological Control over Tissue Differentiation (Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Skeletal Muscle and Tendon Connective Matrix Biology and Mechanotransduction (Weill Cornell Medical College)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cell-Based Cardiac Regeneration (Karolinska Institutet)

Canada Excellence Research Chair – Cardiac Regeneration (University of Toronto)

Senior Scientist/Scientist – Cardiac Differentiation and Cardiac Tissue Engineering (Novoheart)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Specification and Morphogenesis of the Embryonic Heart (University of Oxford)

Postdoctoral Position – Vascular Smooth Muscle and Endothelial Cell Ion Channels (University of Tennessee)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cardiovascular Stem Cell Research (University of Maryland School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cardiovascular Biology (Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Human Skeletal Muscle Disease Modeling and Regeneration (Duke University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – hiPSC Based Cardiac Regeneration (Duke University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer, Immunotherapy, and Fibrosis (University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Muscle Cell News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.