Muscle Cell News Volume 4.04 | Feb 4 2019

TOP STORY

EGFR-Aurka Signaling Rescues Polarity and Regeneration Defects in Dystrophin-Deficient Muscle Stem Cells by Increasing Asymmetric Divisions

Through a small-molecule screen, researchers identified epidermal growth factor receptor and aurora kinase A as regulators of asymmetric satellite cell divisions. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLS

SarcTrack: An Adaptable Software Tool for Efficient Large-Scale Analysis of Sarcomere Function in hiPSC-Cardiomyocytes

SarcTrack analysis of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) carrying a heterozygous truncation variant in the myosin-binding protein C gene, which caused hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, recapitulated seminal disease phenotypes including cardiac hypercontractility and diminished relaxation, abnormalities that normalized with myosin molecule treatment. [Circ Res] Abstract

Population and Single-Cell Analysis of Human Cardiogenesis Reveals Unique LGR5 Ventricular Progenitors in Embryonic Outflow Tract

Scientists report comprehensive gene expression profiles of human cardiac derivatives from multipotent cardiac stem/progenitor cells to intermediates and mature cardiac cells by population and single-cell RNA-seq using human embryonic stem cell-derived and embryonic/fetal heart-derived cardiac cells micro-dissected from specific heart compartments. [Dev Cell] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Cell Population Balance of Cardiovascular Spheroids Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

The effects of seeding density and a change in hippo/Yes-associated protein signaling on 3D cardiovascular spheroids patterning from human pluripotent stem cells were evaluated. Compared to 2D culture, 3D cardiovascular spheroids exhibited higher levels of sarcomeric striations and higher length-to-width ratios of α-actinin⁺ cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLS

Biohybrid Valveless Pump-Bot Powered by Engineered Skeletal Muscle

The authors developed an example of a biohybrid valveless pump-bot powered by engineered skeletal muscle. The pump-bot consisted of a soft hydrogel tube connected at both ends to a stiffer polydimethylsiloxane scaffold, creating an impedance mismatch. A contractile muscle ring wrapped around the hydrogel tube at an off-center location, squeezing the tube with or without buckling it locally. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

Apolipoprotein A-I Enhances Insulin-Dependent and Insulin-Independent Glucose Uptake by Skeletal Muscle

Researchers investigated whether there was a direct effect of increased glucose uptake by skeletal muscle. Incubation of primary human skeletal muscle cells -with apoA-I increased insulin-dependent and insulin–independent glucose uptake in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. [Sci Rep] Full Article

SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS

Airway Smooth Muscle-Specific Transcriptomic Signatures of Glucocorticoid Exposure

Scientists sought to identify differences between fatal asthma and non-asthma donor-derived airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell transcriptomic response to glucocorticoid exposure, and to compare ASM-specific changes to those of other cell types. [Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol] Abstract

Warburg Effect Is Involved in Apelin-13-Induced Human Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Proliferation

The authors demonstrated that the Warburg effect played a pivotal role in apelin-13-induced human aortic vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. Apelin-13 promoted the expression of glucose transporter type 1, pyruvate kinase 2, lactate dehydrogenase A, monocarboxylate transporter 1, and monocarboxylate transporter 4 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

Spatially Selective MRLC Regulation Is Absent in Dedifferentiated Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells but Is Partially Induced by Fibronectin and Klf4

Investigators demonstrated the absence of spatial regulation in dedifferentiated smooth muscle cells using both cell lines and primary cells, thus distinct from previous reports on cells with migratory potential. They also observed that the spatial regulation was partly induced upon fibronectin stimulation and Klf4 overexpression. [Am J Physiol Cell Physiol] Abstract

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Cardiac Repair and the Putative Role of Stem Cells

The efficacy of stem cell therapy to produce sustained beneficial effects in patients with ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease remains unproven. It is an open question as to whether new scientific discovery can provide a convincing rationale for further clinical trials of cardiac stem cell therapy. [J Mol Cell Cardiol] Abstract

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

Verseon Reports First Dosing in Phase I Trial on New Precision Oral Anticoagulant

Verseon announces that dosing has started in the Phase I clinical trial of VE-1902, the company’s leading candidate for a new class of precision oral anticoagulants (PROACs). Preclinical data suggest that PROACs could become the first anticoagulants suitable for long-term co-administration with antiplatelet agents for the prevention of stroke and heart attack in coronary artery disease patients [Verseon Corporation] Press Release

Lupin Announces Launch of Orphan Drug NaMuscla^® in Germany and the UK for the Treatment of Myotonia in Non-Dystrophic Myotonic Disorders

Lupin is pleased to announce that NaMuscla^® has been launched in Germany and the United Kingdom. NaMuscla^® is approved across the European Union for the symptomatic treatment of myotonia in adults with non-dystrophic myotonic disorders. [LUPIN (GlobeNewswire, Inc)] Press Release

Indian Government to Boost Stipend for Early-Career Scientists

The Indian government announced that it will increase the stipend for PhD students who have qualified for a research fellowship by up to 25%. [Nature News] Editorial

After Shutdown, NSF Catching Up on Review Panels, Funding Requests

When the US government was partially shut down for 35 days starting December 22, work at several government agencies ground to a halt, with a total of 800,000 federal employees furloughed. The National Science Foundation (NSF), one of the sidelined science agencies, is now addressing all that went undone during that time, NSF officials told reporters. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conference: Chromatin Signaling in Heart and Vascular Diseases
May 26-31, 2019
Hong Kong, China

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem cells & Cardiac Regeneration (Temple University)

NEW Assistant Specialist – Cardiovascular Research (University of California, Davis)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Associate – Cardiac Stem Cells (University of Louisville)

Postdoctoral Position – Cardiomyopathy (University of Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute)

Clinical Tenure Track/Tenure-Eligible Investigator – Cardiology (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute)

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.)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Cardiovascular Sciences (Medical College of Wisconsin)

Assistant/Associate Adjunct Professor – Cardiovascular Medicine (University of California Davis)

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