Project description:This experiment was conducted to identify target genes of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor beta (PPARb) in skeletal muscle of transgenic mice that overexpressed PPARb. The following abstract from the submitted manuscript describes the major findings of this work. The Nuclear Receptor Transcription Factor PPARbeta/delta Programs Muscle Glucose Metabolism. Zhenji Gan, Eileen Burkart-Hartman, Dong-Ho Han, Brian Finck, Teresa C. Leone, John Holloszy, and Daniel P. Kelly. To identify new gene regulatory pathways controlling skeletal muscle energy metabolism, comparative studies were conducted on muscle-specific transgenic mouse lines expressing the nuclear receptors, PPARalpha (MCK-PPARalpha) or PPARbeta/delta (MCK-PPARbeta/delta). MCK-PPARbeta/delta mice are known to have enhanced exercise performance whereas MCK-PPARalpha mice perform at low levels. Transcriptional profiling revealed that the lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh)b/Ldha gene expression ratio is increased in MCK-PPARbeta/delta muscle, an isoenzyme shift that diverts pyruvate into the mitochondrion for the final steps of glucose oxidation. PPARbeta/delta gain- and loss-of-function studies in skeletal myotubes demonstrated that PPARbeta/delta, but not PPARalpha, interacts with the exercise inducible kinase, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), to synergistically activate Ldhb gene transcription by cooperating with myocyte enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A), in a PPARbeta/delta ligand-independent manner. MCK-PPARbeta/delta muscle was shown to have high glycogen stores, increased levels of GLUT4, and augmented capacity for mitochondrial pyruvate oxidation suggesting a broad reprogramming of glucose utilization pathways. Lastly, exercise studies demonstrated that MCK-PPARbeta/delta mice had lower circulating levels of lactate compared to non-transgenic controls, while exhibiting supranormal performance on a high intensity exercise regimen. These results identify a transcriptional regulatory mechanism that increases capacity for muscle glucose utilization in a pattern that resembles the effects of exercise training. Keywords: muscle, exercise, nuclear receptors, glucose metabolism, gene regulation RNA from two wild-type (non-transgenic (NTG)) and two PPARbeta overexpressing (MCK-PPARb) mice was analyzed. Two replicates of each are provided.
Project description:Skeletal muscle atrophy is a serious and highly prevalent condition that remains poorly understood at the molecular level. Previous work found that skeletal muscle atrophy involves an increase in skeletal muscle Gadd45a expression, which is necessary and sufficient for skeletal muscle fiber atrophy. However, the direct mechanism by which Gadd45a promotes skeletal muscle atrophy was unknown. To address this question, we biochemically isolated skeletal muscle fiber proteins that associate with Gadd45a as it induces skeletal muscle atrophy in living mice. We found that Gadd45a interacts with multiple proteins in skeletal muscle fibers, including, most prominently, the MAP kinase kinase kinase MEKK4. Furthermore, by forming a complex with MEKK4 in skeletal muscle fibers, Gadd45a increases MEKK4 protein kinase activity, which is sufficient to induce skeletal muscle fiber atrophy and required for Gadd45a-mediated skeletal muscle fiber atrophy. Together, these results identify a direct biochemical mechanism by which Gadd45a induces skeletal muscle atrophy and provide new insight into way that skeletal muscle atrophy occurs at the molecular level.
Project description:We analyzed the gene expression changes that result from mitochondria overloaded by unfolded proteins in skeletal muscles. Mitochondrial-retained mutant ornithine transcarbamylase (ΔOTC) is a known protein degraded by LONP1 and an established model for studying mitochondrial proteostasis imbalance. We generated transgenic mice overexpressing ΔOTC specifically in skeletal muscle using the muscle creatine kinase promoter (MCK-ΔOTC). Transcriptome analysis was performed by whole-genome gene expression profiling experiments in muscles from the MCK-ΔOTC mice and NTG littermate controls. The comparative mRNA profiling strategy revealed extensive genomic reprogramming in MCK-ΔOTC muscles, with 1051 genes up- and 519 genes down-regulated (1.5-fold change and p<0.05), respectively. GO analysis of the regulated genes in MCK-ΔOTC muscles revealed significant enrichment in unfolded protein response as well as RNA processing process. These data suggest that mitochondria overloaded by ΔOTC unfolded proteins induce extensive genomic reprogramming in skeletal muscle
Project description:We have developed an inducible, skeletal muscle-specific mouse model of DM1 (CUG960) that expresses 960 CUG repeat-expressing animals (CUG960) in the context of human DMPK exons 11-15. CUG960 RNA-expressing mice induced at postnatal day 1, as well as adult-onset animals, show clear, measurable muscle wasting accompanied by severe histological defects including central myonuclei, reduced fiber cross-sectional area, increased percentage of oxidative myofibers, the presence of nuclear RNA foci that colocalize with Mbnl1 protein, and increased Celf1 protein in severely affected muscles. Importantly, muscle loss, histological abnormalities and RNA foci are reversible, demonstrating recovery upon removal of toxic RNA. RNA-seq and protein array analysis indicate that the balance between anabolic and catabolic pathways that normally regulate muscle mass may be disrupted by deregulation of platelet derived growth factor receptor beta signaling and the PI3K/AKT pathways, along with prolonged activation of AMP-activated protein kinase alpha signaling. Similar changes were detected in DM1 skeletal muscle compared with unaffected controls.
Project description:Skeletal muscle mass is an important determinant of whole-body glucose disposal. We here show that mice (M-PDK1KO mice) with skeletal muscle–specific deficiency of 3'-phosphoinositide–dependent kinase 1 (PDK1), a key component of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway, manifest a reduced skeletal muscle mass under the static condition as well as impairment of exercise load–induced muscle hypertrophy. Whereas exercise load-induced changes in gene expression were not affected, the phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K) and S6 induced by exercise load was attenuated in skeletal muscle of M-PDK1KO mice, suggesting that PDK1 regulates muscle hypertrophy not through changes in gene expression but through stimulation of protein synthesis via the S6K-S6 axis.
Project description:This experiment was conducted to identify target genes of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor beta (PPARb) in skeletal muscle of transgenic mice that overexpressed PPARb. The following abstract from the submitted manuscript describes the major findings of this work. The Nuclear Receptor Transcription Factor PPARbeta/delta Programs Muscle Glucose Metabolism. Zhenji Gan, Eileen Burkart-Hartman, Dong-Ho Han, Brian Finck, Teresa C. Leone, John Holloszy, and Daniel P. Kelly. To identify new gene regulatory pathways controlling skeletal muscle energy metabolism, comparative studies were conducted on muscle-specific transgenic mouse lines expressing the nuclear receptors, PPARalpha (MCK-PPARalpha) or PPARbeta/delta (MCK-PPARbeta/delta). MCK-PPARbeta/delta mice are known to have enhanced exercise performance whereas MCK-PPARalpha mice perform at low levels. Transcriptional profiling revealed that the lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh)b/Ldha gene expression ratio is increased in MCK-PPARbeta/delta muscle, an isoenzyme shift that diverts pyruvate into the mitochondrion for the final steps of glucose oxidation. PPARbeta/delta gain- and loss-of-function studies in skeletal myotubes demonstrated that PPARbeta/delta, but not PPARalpha, interacts with the exercise inducible kinase, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), to synergistically activate Ldhb gene transcription by cooperating with myocyte enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A), in a PPARbeta/delta ligand-independent manner. MCK-PPARbeta/delta muscle was shown to have high glycogen stores, increased levels of GLUT4, and augmented capacity for mitochondrial pyruvate oxidation suggesting a broad reprogramming of glucose utilization pathways. Lastly, exercise studies demonstrated that MCK-PPARbeta/delta mice had lower circulating levels of lactate compared to non-transgenic controls, while exhibiting supranormal performance on a high intensity exercise regimen. These results identify a transcriptional regulatory mechanism that increases capacity for muscle glucose utilization in a pattern that resembles the effects of exercise training. Keywords: muscle, exercise, nuclear receptors, glucose metabolism, gene regulation
Project description:Exercise induces skeletal muscle adaptation, and the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway is thought to play an important role in the adaptive processes. We have obtained new evidence that the gamma isoform of p38 is required for exercise-induced metabolic adaptation in skeletal muscle; however, the neuromuscular activity-dependent target genes of p38gamma remain to be defined. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression underlying the skeletal muscle genetic reprogramming in response to increased contractile activity and identified distinct classes of up-regulated genes during this process that are dependent on the functional activity of the p38gamma isoform. Skeletal muscle-specific p38gamma knockout mice and the wild type littermates are subject to motor nerve stimulation of one of the tibialis anterior muscles followed by microarray analysis of both the stimulated and the contralateral control muscles.
Project description:Activation of the sympathetic nervous system causes pronounced metabolic changes that are mediated by multiple adrenergic receptor subtypes. Systemic treatment with β<sub>2-</sub>adrenergic receptor agonists results in multiple beneficial metabolic effects, including improved glucose homeostasis. To elucidate the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, we chronically treated wild-type mice and several newly developed mutant mouse strains with clenbuterol, a selective β<sub>2</sub>-adrenergic receptor agonist. Clenbuterol administration caused pronounced improvements in glucose homeostasis and prevented the metabolic deficits in mouse models of β-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance. Studies with skeletal muscle-specific mutant mice demonstrated that these metabolic improvements required activation of skeletal muscle β<sub>2</sub>-adrenergic receptors and the stimulatory G protein, G<sub>s</sub>. Unbiased transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses showed that chronic β<sub>2</sub>-adrenergic receptor stimulation caused metabolic reprogramming of skeletal muscle characterized by enhanced glucose utilization. These findings strongly suggest that agents targeting skeletal muscle metabolism by modulating β<sub>2</sub>-adrenergic receptor-dependent signaling pathways may prove beneficial as antidiabetic drugs.
Project description:PGC1beta is a transcriptional coactivator that potently stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration of cells. Here, we have generated mice lacking exons 3 to 4 of the Pgc1beta gene (PGC1beta E3,4-/E3,4- mice). These mice express a mutant protein that has reduced coactivation activity on a subset of transcription factors, including ERRalpha, a major target of PGC1beta in the induction of mitochondrial gene expression. The mutant mice have reduced expression of OXPHOS genes and mitochondrial dysfunction in liver and skeletal muscle as well as elevated liver triglycerides. Euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp and insulin signaling studies show that PGC1beta mutant mice have normal skeletal muscle response to insulin, but have hepatic insulin resistance. These results demonstrate that PGC1beta is required for normal expression of OXPHOS genes and mitochondrial function in liver and skeletal muscle. Importantly, these abnormalities do not cause insulin resistance in skeletal muscle but cause substantially reduced insulin action in the liver. Keywords: Liver and quadricpes muscle gene expression, WT vs. PGC1beta mutant
Project description:In this study, we investigated signaling pathways in Skeletal muscle precursors that are altered with aging and age-related deficits in muscle regenerative potential. We performed fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) to obtain highly purified skeletal muscle satellite cells from young, middle-aged and old mice. Parabiosis experiments indicate that impaired regeneration in aged mice is reversible by exposure to a young circulation, suggesting that young blood contains humoral "rejuvenating" factors that can restore regenerative function. Here, we demonstrate that the circulating protein growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is a rejuvenating factor for skeletal muscle. Supplementation of systemic GDF11 levels, which normally decline with age, by heterochronic parabiosis or systemic delivery of recombinant protein, reversed functional impairments and restored genomic integrity in aged muscle stem cells (satellite cells). Increased GDF11 levels in aged mice also improved muscle structural and functional features and increased strength and endurance exercise capacity. These data indicate that GDF11 systemically regulates muscle aging and may be therapeutically useful for reversing age-related skeletal muscle and stem cell dysfunction. We used Affymetrix Mouse Genome array to identify global transcriptional changes associated with age in skeletal muscle precursors.