Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports, 2017 · DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrep.2017.01.003 · Published: January 17, 2017
Myostatin, a protein secreted by skeletal muscle, is a negative regulator of muscle growth. This study investigates how myostatin affects microRNAs (miRNAs) in muscle cells. miRNAs are small molecules that regulate gene expression. The researchers treated C2C12 muscle cells with recombinant myostatin and an ALK4/5/7 inhibitor (SB431542) to see how these treatments altered miRNA expression during cell differentiation. They found that myostatin reduced the expression of some myomiRs (muscle-specific miRNAs) while the inhibitor generally increased their expression. These findings suggest that myostatin can repress myomiR expression in differentiating muscle cells and that inhibiting Smad signaling (a pathway involved in myostatin's action) can lead to significant changes in highly expressed miRNAs.
The findings provide insights into the mechanisms by which myostatin regulates muscle growth and atrophy through miRNA modulation, which could be relevant for conditions like spinal cord injury and frailty.
Identifying specific miRNAs regulated by myostatin and ALK4/5/7 signaling could lead to the development of targeted therapies to promote muscle growth and prevent muscle wasting.
The study highlights the importance of considering the stage of cell differentiation when designing therapeutic interventions targeting myostatin signaling, as the effects on miRNA expression may vary depending on the timing of treatment.