Muscle Cell News 4.02 January 21, 2019 | |
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TOP STORYA Selective Inhibitor of Mitofusin 1-βIIPKC Association Improves Heart Failure Outcome in Rats Scientists confirmed that mitofusin 1 (Mfn1)-beta II protein kinase C (βIIPKC) interaction alone is critical in inhibiting mitochondrial function and cardiac myocyte viability using SAMβA, a rationally-designed peptide that selectively antagonizes Mfn1-βIIPKC association. SAMβA treatment protected cultured neonatal and adult cardiac myocytes, but not Mfn1 knockout cells, from stress-induced death. [Nat Commun] Full Article | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLSThe authors’ main findings were that hyperglycemia could induce cardiac insulin-like growth factor (IGF1)-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) overexpression and secretion, that high levels of IGFBP3 could sequester IGF1 from IGF1 survival pathway, leading to apoptosis, and that IGFBP3 gene upregulation was hypoxia-inducible factor 1α-dependent and reactive oxygen species dependent. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract Podocan Affects C2C12 Myogenic Differentiation by Enhancing Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling siRNA-mediated podocan knockdown inhibited C2C12 differentiation, as indicated by inhibition of MYOG, MYH2, and desmin expression, as well as reductions in the differentiation and fusion indices. Overexpression of podocan using dCas9 technology promoted C2C12 cell differentiation. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLSScientists demonstrated that the long non-coding RNA Pvt1, activated early during muscle atrophy, impacted mitochondrial respiration and morphology and affected mito/autophagy, apoptosis and myofiber size in vivo. [Nucleic Acids Res] Full Article The mechanistic study revealed that protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) regulated FOXO3 through PRMT6 modulation. In the absence of PRMT1, increased PRMT6 specifically methylates FOXO3 at arginine 188 and 249, leading to its activation. [Autophagy] Abstract Investigators report that even before tumor formation, muscle stem cells exhibited increased self-renewal and an expression signature associated with rhabdomyosarcomas (RMSs). These cells could form tumorspheres in vitro and give rise to RMSs in vivo. Finally, they showed that the inflammatory genes Ccl11 and Rgs5 were involved in RMS growth. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract Rbf Activates the Myogenic Transcriptional Program to Promote Skeletal Muscle Differentiation The authors identified an Rbf-dependent transcriptional program in late muscle development that was distinct from the canonical role of Rbf in cell cycle control. Unexpectedly, Rbf acted as a transcriptional activator of the myogenic and metabolic genes in the growing muscles. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLSPharmacological inhibition and short hairpin RNA knockdown of PI3Kγ markedly attenuated YAP expression and CREB activation but improved the downregulation of differentiation genes in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells accompanied by reduced cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, activated CREB upregulated YAP transcriptional expression through binding to its promoter. [Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol] Abstract Significant differences in the preferred mechanisms of the cells to close wounds or gaps were observed; after 48 hours, 73% of smooth muscle cell wound closure was observed to be due to proliferation, while 75% of endothelial cell wound closure resulted from migration. [Exp Cell Res] Abstract Kinetic Studies of K-Cl Cotransport in Cultured Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Early, medium, and late synthetic passage vascular smooth muscle cells were tested for specific cytoskeletal protein expression. K-Cl cotransport-mediated ouabain- and bumetanide-insensitive Rb+ influx was determined as Cl–-dependent Rb+ influx at different external Rb+ and Cl– ion concentrations, [Rb+]o and [Cl–]o. [Am J Physiol Cell Physiol] Abstract Endothelin-1 (ET-1) markedly increased the NADPH oxidase and MMP-2 activities and proliferation of bovine pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. ET-1 also caused significant increase in sphingomyelinase activity, ERK1/2 and sphingosine kinase phosphorylations, and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) level in the cells. [J Cell Commun Signal] Abstract Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Extracellular Matrix News & ESC & iPSC News. | |
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REVIEWSTransient Receptor Potential Channels in Cardiac Health and Disease The authors present the current knowledge of the roles of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in different cardiac regions and cells types and discuss their contribution to pathophysiological mechanisms, which will help to identify the best candidates for new therapeutic targets among the cardiac TRP family. [Nat Rev Cardiol] Abstract Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the muscle cell research field. | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSLuye Pharma announced it has entered an agreement with AstraZeneca China, the terms of which grant AstraZeneca China exclusive rights to promote Luye Pharma’s Xuezhikang Capsules in mainland China. [Luye Pharma] Press Release MDA Awards Venture Philanthropy Grant to AcuraStem to Develop Novel Treatment for ALS The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has awarded an MDA Venture Philanthropy grant totaling $300,000 over two years to AcuraStem Incorporated to support preclinical development of a novel small molecule therapeutic for ALS. [The Muscular Dystrophy Association] Press Release Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy Publishes 10 Year Registry Report Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy announced the release of the Ten Year Registry Report. This report is the culmination of data provided by registrants in The Duchenne Registry, as well as collaborative work with expert clinicians and researchers over the past ten years. The Duchenne Registry is the largest, most comprehensive patient-reported registry for Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. [Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSCrash-Out Brexit Looms Larger for Scientists after Deal Rejected A historic defeat for U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May has raised the odds that the United Kingdom will crash out of the European Union in March, a prospect that scientists dread for its potential for disruption to research collaborations and the economy. [ScienceInsider] Editorial Mass Student Protests Bring Down Albania’s Science Minister Albania’s education and science minister has been replaced in a government reshuffle amid weeks of mass student protests that brought the country’s public universities to a halt. For years, students have been complaining about growing privatization of education, which, they say, has hiked fees without adding benefits. [Nature News] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW Gordon Research Conference: Muscle: Excitation-Contraction Coupling Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESPhD Positions – Cardiovascular Research (Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich) Postdoctoral Position – Cardiomyocyte Mechanobiology (Queen Mary University of London) Postdoctoral Research Position – Cardiovascular Medicine (University of California, Davis) Assistant Professor – Sarcoma & Skeletal-Related Malignancies (UC Davis School of Medicine) Scientist – Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Drug Discovery (Expansion Therapeutics, Inc.) Professor – Cardiovascular Research (The University of Tennessee Health Science Center) Assistant Professor Positions – Department of Cardiology (Boston Children’s Hospital) Postdoctoral Fellowship – Cardiovascular Sciences (Medical College of Wisconsin) Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Sarcopenia (Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine) Assistant/Associate Adjunct Professor – Cardiovascular Medicine (UC Davis) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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