Muscle Cell News Volume 5.01 | Jan 13 2020

TOP STORY

PCSK6 Is a Key Protease in the Control of Smooth Muscle Cell Function in Vascular Remodeling

In human, rat, and mouse intimal hyperplasia, proprotein convertase subtilisins/kexin 6 (PCSK6) was expressed by proliferating SMA⁺ cells and upregulated after five days in rat carotid balloon injury model, with positive correlation to PDGFB and MMP2/MMP14. [Circ Res] Abstract

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CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLS

Generating Ring-Shaped Engineered Heart Tissues from Ventricular and Atrial Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes

Scientists showed that engineered heart tissues (EHTs) could be generated by directing hPSCs to differentiate into ventricular or atrial cardiomyocytes, and then embedding these cardiomyocytes in a collagen-hydrogel to create chamber-specific, ring-shaped, EHTs. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Downregulation of miR-200a Protects Cardiomyocyte against Apoptosis

H₂O₂ was used to induce an acute myocardial infarction model in vitro. miR-200a mimics, anti-miR-200a antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides, as well as corresponding negative controls were transfected into cardiomyocytes to observe the effect of miR-200a. [Biomed Pharmacother] Abstract

Regulation of Connexin 43 by Interleukin 1β in Adult Rat Cardiac Fibroblasts and Effects in an Adult Rat Cardiac Myocyte: Fibroblast Co-Culture Model

Stimulating adult rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) with proinflammatory mediators revealed that interleukin 1β (IL-1β) significantly enhanced Cx43 levels through the IL-1β pathway. Additionally, IL-1β reduced mRNA levels of the myofibroblast markers: connective tissue growth factor and α smooth muscle actin, compared to control CFs. [Heliyon] Full Article

SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLS

Sestrin Prevents Atrophy of Disused and Aging Muscles by Integrating Anabolic and Catabolic Signals

Through a combination of transcriptomics and transgenesis, researchers identified sestrins, a family of stress-inducible metabolic regulators, as protective factors against muscle wasting. Sestrin expression decreased during inactivity and its genetic deficiency exacerbated muscle wasting; conversely, sestrin overexpression suffices to prevent atrophy. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Inhibition of FLT1 Ameliorates Muscular Dystrophy Phenotype by Increased Vasculature in a Mouse Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Investigators showed that while constitutive deletion of Flt1 was detrimental to the skeletal muscle function, endothelial cell-specific Flt1 deletion resulted in increased vascular density, increased satellite cell number and improvement in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy-associated phenotype in mdx mice. [PLoS Genet] Full Article

Metformin Alleviates Muscle Wasting Post-Thermal Injury by Increasing Pax7-Positive Muscle Progenitor Cells

To investigate metformin’s effect on satellite cells, scientists examined changes in Pax7, a transcription factor regulating the proliferation of muscle progenitors. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Skeletal Muscle Cells Derived from Mouse Skin Cultures

Researchers established a novel, simple, and highly reproducible method to generate skeletal muscle cells from mouse skin. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

In Vitro Evaluation of Antidiabetic Potential of Hesperidin and Its Aglycone Hesperetin under Oxidative Stress in Skeletal Muscle Cell Line

The authors investigated the in vitro antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of hesperidin and hesperetin under oxidative stress induced in L6 myotubes. [Cell Biochem Funct] Abstract

SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS

Divergent Effects of Canonical and Non‐Canonical TGF‐β Signaling on Mixed Contractile‐Synthetic Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype in Human Marfan Syndrome Aortic Root Aneurysms

The authors assessed human Marfan syndrome vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype, focusing on individual contributions by Smad and ERK, with Notch3 signaling identified as a novel compensatory mechanism against TGF‐β‐driven pathology. [J Cell Mol Med] Abstract

Nucleolin Promotes Ang II‐Induced Phenotypic Transformation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells by Regulating EGF and PDGF‐BB

Researchers investigated the molecular mechanism of nucleolin‐mediated phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) induced by angiotensin II (Ang II). Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) inhibitors were used to observe the effect of Ang II on phenotypic transformation of VSMCs. [J Cell Mol Med] Full Article

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Stem Cell-Derived Cell Sheet Transplantation for Heart Tissue Repair in Myocardial Infarction

The authors retrospectively summarize the current applications and strategy of stem cell-derived cell sheet technology for heart tissue repair in myocardial infarction. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

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

Muscular Dystrophy Collaboration Aims to Correct Muscle Stem Cells’ DNA

Harvard University stem cell researchers led by Amy Wagers, PhD, are embarking on a major study of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Supported by research funding from Sarepta Therapeutics, under a multi-year collaboration agreement coordinated by Harvard’s Office of Technology Development, the project aims to use in vivo genome editing, in mouse models of DMD, to fully and precisely restore the function of the dystrophin protein, which is crucial for proper muscular growth and development. [Harvard University] Press Release

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals and Duchenne UK Announce Partnership to Evaluate Edasalonexent in a Phase II Non-Ambulatory Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Trial

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Duchenne UK have entered into a partnership for a Phase II trial of edasalonexent, a novel NF-kB inhibitor, in non-ambulatory DMD patients. [Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

Amicus Therapeutics Provides Updates on Clinical, Regulatory and Manufacturing Advancements for AT-GAA for Pompe Disease

Amicus Therapeutics announced clinical, regulatory and manufacturing advancements for AT-GAA, its investigational therapy for Pompe disease. [Amicus Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

MDA Awards Venture Philanthropy Funding of More Than $1 M to AavantiBio to Develop Gene-Targeting Therapy for Friedreich’s Ataxia

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and AavantiBio announced the award of MDA Venture Philanthropy funding totaling $1,076,232 to advance AavantiBio’s Phase II clinical trial of a gene-replacement therapy for the disease. [The Muscular Dystrophy Association] Press Release

FDA and NIH Let Clinical Trial Sponsors Keep Results Secret and Break the Law

For 20 years, the US government has urged companies, universities, and other institutions that conduct clinical trials to record their results in a federal database, so doctors and patients can see whether new treatments are safe and effective. Few trial sponsors have consistently done so, even after a 2007 law made posting mandatory for many trials registered in the database. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Predatory-Journal Papers Have Little Scientific Impact

Papers published in ‘predatory’ journals attract little attention from scientists, and get cited much less than those in reputable publications, an analysis shows. Predatory journals are those that charge authors high article-processing fees but don’t provide expected publishing services, such as peer review or other quality checks. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 4^th DNA Repair/Replication Structures and Cancer Conference
February 16-20, 2020
Nassau, Bahamas

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Cardiac Tissue Engineering and Regeneration (Duke University)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Associate – Muscle Stem Cell Biology (State University of New York)

Doctoral Student – Biomedical Sciences (Linnaeus University)

PhD Student – Aortic Disease (University Hospital of Cologne)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Postdoctoral Scientist – Aortic Disease (University Hospital of Cologne)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Computation Systems and Skeletal Muscles (University of Luxembourg)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Muscle Stem Cell Biology (University at Albany)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Skeletal Muscle Aging (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)

Senior Scientist – Muscle Cell Biology (Shape Therapeutics)

Asistant Professor – Ion Channels (University of Tennessee)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Genome Editing in Cardiac Microtissues (The Jackson Laboratory)

Assistant Specialist – Cardiovascular Medicine (University of California, Davis)

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