Muscle Cell News Volume 3.37 | Nov 5 2018

TOP STORY

TDP-43 and RNA Form Amyloid-Like Myo-Granules in Regenerating Muscle

Researchers showed that TDP-43 is an essential protein for normal skeletal muscle formation that unexpectedly formed cytoplasmic, amyloid-like oligomeric assemblies, which they called myo-granules, during regeneration of skeletal muscle in mice and humans. [Nature] Abstract | Press Release | Editorial

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLS

Cardiomyocyte Gene Programs Encoding Morphological and Functional Signatures in Cardiac Hypertrophy and Failure

Investigators reconstructed a trajectory of cardiomyocyte remodeling and clarified distinct cardiomyocyte gene programs encoding morphological and functional signatures in cardiac hypertrophy and failure, by integrating single-cardiomyocyte transcriptome with cell morphology, epigenomic state and heart function. [Nat Commun] Full Article | Press Release

Potassium Channel-Based Optogenetic Silencing

The authors report a two-component optical silencer system comprising photoactivated adenylyl cyclases (PACs) and the small cyclic nucleotide-gated potassium channel SthK. Activation of this ‘PAC-K’ silencer by brief pulses of low-intensity blue light caused robust and reversible silencing of cardiomyocyte excitation and neuronal firing. [Sci Rep] Full Article

SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLS

MicroRNA-378 Promotes Autophagy and Inhibits Apoptosis in Skeletal Muscle

Mechanistically, miR-378 promoted autophagy initiation through the mammalian target of rapamycin/unc-51-like autophagy activating kinase 1 pathway and sustained autophagy via Forkhead box class O-mediated transcriptional reinforcement by targeting phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

YAP1 Enhances NF-κB-Dependent and Independent Effects on Clock-Mediated Unfolded Protein Responses and Autophagy in Sarcoma

Scientists report that yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB activity suppressed circadian clock function, inhibiting differentiation and promoting proliferation. In skeletal muscle-derived undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, they observed that YAP1 suppressed PERK and ATF6-mediated UPR target expression as well as clock genes. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS

Disease-Relevant Transcriptional Signatures Identified in Individual Smooth Muscle Cells from Healthy Mouse Vessels

Researchers detected a rare population of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC)-lineage cells that expressed the multipotent progenitor marker Sca1, progressively downregulated contractile VSMC genes and upregulated genes associated with VSMC response to inflammation and growth factors. [Nat Commun] Full Article | Press Release

Genetic Ablation of NFAT5/TonEBP in Smooth Muscle Cells Impairs Flow- and Pressure-Induced Arterial Remodeling in Mice

In cultured mouse vascular smooth muscle cells, loss of nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) inhibited the expression of gene sets involved in the control of the cell cycle and the interaction with the extracellular matrix and cytoskeletal dynamics. [FASEB J] Abstract

Salusin-α Inhibits Proliferation and Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell via Akt/mTOR Signaling

Investigators showed that salusin-α decreased both macrophage- and vascular smooth muscle cells -positively stained areas in atherosclerotic lesions by 54% and 69%, cell proliferative activity in the intima and media of arteriosclerotic lesions, and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 expression in plaques. [Cell Physiol Biochem] Full Article

P2X4R Promotes Airway Remodeling by Acting on the Phenotype Switching of Bronchial Smooth Muscle Cells in Rats

Platelet-derived growth factor-BB administration increased the P2X4 receptor (P2X4R) and phospho-p38MAPK expression in bronchial smooth muscle cells, and the increased phospho-p38MAPK expression was downregulated by silencing of the P2X4R mRNA. [Purinergic Signal] Abstract

Mechanism of Anti-Remodeling Action of Treprostinil in Human Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells

Researchers investigated the effects of treprostinil on PDGF-BB induced remodeling parameters in isolated human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells of four pulmonary arterial hypertension patients. [PLoS One] Full Article

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Orienting Muscle Stem Cells for Regeneration in Homeostasis, Aging, and Disease

The authors discuss the relationship of satellite cell heterogeneity and the establishment of polarity to asymmetric division, as well as how these processes are impacted in homeostasis, aging, and disease. They also highlight therapeutic opportunities for targeting satellite cell polarity and self-renewal to stimulate muscle regeneration. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract

Many Cells Make Life Work-Multicellularity in Stem Cell-Based Cardiac Disease Modeling

Investigators outline the historical and current state of disease modeling, focusing on the major milestones in the development of stem cell-derived cell types, and how this technology has contributed to the knowledge about the interactions between cardiomyocytes and key non-myocyte components of the heart in health and disease, in particular, heart failure. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

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

MyoKardia Announces Twelve Abstracts Accepted for Presentation

MyoKardia, Inc. announced the presentation of twelve abstracts. These abstracts include new data from ongoing clinical trials and preclinical studies of mavacamten, as well as new population insights from the Sarcomeric Human Cardiomyopathy Registry. [Press release from MyoKardia, Inc. discussing research to be presented at the 2018 American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions, Chicago] Press Release

Capricor Therapeutics to Provide Corporate Update

Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. provided a corporate overview of its research and development of cell and exosome-based therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other rare diseases. [Press release from Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. discussing research presented at the BIO-Europe^® 24^th Annual International Partnering Conference, Copenhagen] Press Release

G3 Pharmaceuticals Signs Exclusive License and Option Agreement for Treating Diastolic Heart Failure (HFpEF) by Inhibiting Galectin-3.

G3 Pharmaceuticals announced the signing of an exclusive license and option agreement with Henry Ford Health System for development and commercialization of galectin-3 inhibitors for treatment of diastolic heart failure, also known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction or HFpEF. [G3 Pharmaceuticals (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

UA Professor Receives Grant for Innovative Research in Preventing Heart Failure

A University of Arizona (UA) College of Medicine – Phoenix researcher has received a $393,493 grant from the National Institutes of Health to further her research in reducing the risk of heart failure in patients with high blood pressure. [The University of Arizona] Press Release

Answer ALS Announces Grants Totaling $7 Million from Caterpillar Inc. and Stay Strong vs ALS

The Answer ALS Foundation announced two gifts totaling $7 million. Caterpillar Inc. has contributed $4 million and the Stay Strong vs ALS Fund has contributed $3 million. The gifts will support the aggressive and ongoing Answer ALS research project. [The Answer ALS Foundation ( PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy to Host a Webinar on PolarisDMD: Phase III Clinical Trial of Edasalonexent (CAT-1004) in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy will host a webinar: “PolarisDMD: Phase III Clinical Trial of Edasalonexent, a Novel NF-kB Inhibitor, in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy”. [Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

Wellcome and Gates Join Bold European Open-Access Plan

Two of the world’s largest biomedical research funders have backed a plan to make all papers resulting from work they fund open access on publication by 2020. On 5 November, the London-based Wellcome Trust and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington, announced they were both endorsing ‘Plan S, adding their weight to an initiative already backed by 13 research funders across Europe since its launch in September. [Nature News] Editorial

NSF Suspends Program Allowing Graduate Fellows to Study Abroad

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has halted a program that each year allows hundreds of the nation’s best graduate students to work with experts in another country. And the agency isn’t saying why—or whether the program will resume. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Drug Companies Try to Catch the Rising Wave of RNAi Medicines

Less than two months after the FDA approved the first-ever drug that uses a Nobel-winning technique to mute disease-causing genes, the pharmaceutical industry is already looking for a piece of the next one. [STAT News] Editorial

NEW Advances in Skeletal Muscle Biology in Health and Disease 2019
March 6-8, 2019
Gainesville, Florida, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Cardiac Hypertrophy & Heart Failure (Masonic Medical Research Laboratory)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Muscle Degeneration (Rice University)

NEW Assistant/Associate Professor – Exercise Science (Syracuse University)

Postdoctoral Position – Cardiomyocyte Mechanobiology (Queen Mary University of London)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Integrative Cardiac Pathophysiology (Columbia University)

Postdoctoral Associate Specialist – Muscle Aging Biology (Nestle Research – EPFL Campus)

Faculty Position – Cardiovascular Diseases (Mayo Clinic)

Faculty Position – Department of Translational & Vascular Biology (University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Vascular Smooth Muscle & Endothelial Cell Ion Channel Research (The University of Tennessee Health Science Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cardiac Regeneration & Heart Failure (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering (Stanford University)

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