Project description:Skeletal muscle tissues are comprised of muscle fibers, muscle stem cells (MuSCs), immune cells, endothelial cells, motor/sensory nerves with Schwann cells, and interstitial mesenchymal cells. Each cell population plays a unique role in muscle physiology and homeostasis. The mesenchymal progenitors in the skeletal muscle have been identified as a subpopulation that reside between muscle fibers, whose role is to coordinate muscle regeneration in a finely tuned manner by supporting the expansion and differentiation of MuSCs. These cells have been referred to as fibro/adipogenic progenitor cells (FAPs), termed according to their differentiation potentials in specific in vitro culture conditions and known to cause fibrous tissue and fatty degeneration under pathological environments and result in compromised muscle function. To gain insight into how Bap1 plays a role in skeletal muscle homeostasis, we performed RNA sequencing analysis using freshly isolated Sca1 positive cells from 1.5-week-old WT or cKO hindlimb muscles
Project description:Comprehensive analyses of mRNA expression were performed using skeletal muscle from control and mesenchymal progenitor-depleted mice to investigate the role of mesenchymal progenitors in skeletal muscle maintenance.
Project description:Androgens exert their effects primarily by binding to the androgen receptor (AR), a ligand-dependent nuclear receptor. While androgens have anabolic effects on skeletal muscle, previous studies reported that AR functions in myofibers to regulate skele- tal muscle quality, rather than skeletal muscle mass. Therefore, the anabolic effects of androgens are exerted via nonmyofiber cells. In this context, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of AR in mesenchymal progenitors, which play a crucial role in maintaining skeletal muscle homeostasis, remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated expression of AR in mesenchymal progenitors and found that targeted AR ablation in mesenchymal progenitors reduced limb muscle mass in mature adult, but not young or aged, male mice, although fatty infiltration of muscle was not affected. The absence of AR in mesenchymal progenitors led to remarkable perineal muscle hypotrophy, regard- less of age, due to abnormal regulation of transcripts associated with cell death and extracellular matrix organization. Additionally, we revealed that AR in mesenchymal progenitors regulates the expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf1) and that IGF1 administration prevents perineal muscle atrophy in a paracrine manner. These findings indicate that the anabolic effects of androgens regulate skeletal muscle mass via, at least in part, AR signaling in mesenchymal progenitors.
Project description:We show that Mustn1 (Musculoskeletal embryonic nuclear protein 1, also known as Mustang) is highly expressed in skeletal muscle during the early stages of hindlimb reloading. Mustn1 expression is transiently elevated in mouse and human skeletal muscle in response to intense exercise, resistance exercise, or injury. We find that Mustn1 expression is highest in smooth muscle-rich tissues, followed by skeletal muscle fibers. Muscle from heterozygous Mustn1-deficient mice exhibit differences in gene expression related to the extracellular matrix and cell adhesion, compared to wild-type littermates. Mustn1-deficient mice have normal muscle and aorta function and whole-body glucose metabolism. Loss of Mustn1 in vascular smooth muscle cells does not affect their proliferative or migratory functions. We show that Mustn1 can be secreted from smooth muscle cells, and that it is present in arterioles of the muscle microvasculature and in muscle interstitial fluid, in particular during the hindlimb reloading phase. Proteomics analysis of muscle from Mustn1-deficient mice confirms differences in extracellular matrix composition, and female mice display higher collagen content after chemically induced muscle injury compared to wild-type littermates.
Project description:Comprehensive analyses of miRNAs expression were performed using miRNA microarrays during osteogenic differentiation of PDGFRa+ mesenchymal progenitors isolated from human skeletal muscle to identify miRNAs that are involved in osteogenesis of PDGFRa+ mesenchymal progenitors. PDGFRa+ mesenchymal progenitors were isolated from the gluteus medius muscles of two different patients, and then subjected to osteogenic induction. Expression of miRNAs was examined using miRNA microarrays at the time points of one week and two weeks after osteogenic induction and were compared with that of uninduced cells.
Project description:Fibrosis and fat replacement in the skeletal muscle is a major complication that leads to a loss of mobility in chronic muscle disorders, such as muscular dystrophy. However, our current knowledge on the in vivo properties of adipogenic stem and precursor cells remains unclear, mainly due to the high cell heterogeneity in skeletal muscles. For this purpose, we used single-cell RNA-sequencing to decomplexify interstitial cell populations in healthy and dystrophic skeletal muscles. We identified a CD142 (F3) positive cell subpopulation in mice and humans that is responsible for the inhibition of adipogenesis. Furthermore, we found a completely altered composition of interstitial cells in muscular dystrophy, with a near absence of the CD142-positive cells. The novel discovery of these adipo-regulatory cells in the skeletal muscle aids our understanding regarding the aberrant fat deposition in muscular dystrophy, paving the way for treatments that potentially sustain ambulation in patients with muscular dystrophy.
Project description:Bone regeneration involves skeletal stem/progenitor cells within periosteum and bone marrow, the formation of a fibrous callus followed by the deposition of cartilage and bone matrix to consolidate the fracture. Interactions between bone and skeletal muscle are known to play a role in bone repair but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. To better understand the role of skeletal muscle during bone repair, we characterized stem/progenitor cells within skeletal muscle that participate in bone repair. We show that cells originating from bone marrow, periosteum and skeletal muscle are all derived from the Prx1 embryonic lineage. We developed a mouse polytrauma model combining a non-stabilized tibial fracture and mechanical injury to adjacent skeletal muscles. In this polytrauma model, bone fracture healing is impaired. We characterized the Prx1-derived cell population within skeletal muscle in response to fracture and to polytrauma. To do so, we performed fracture and polytrauma in Prx1Cre;Rosa mTmG mice. We harvested skeletal muscle surrounding the tibia at d0 (uninjured), and surrounding the fracture site at d3 and d5 post-fracture or post-polytrauma. Following enzymatic and mechanical digestion of skeletal muscle tissue, we FACS sorted Prx1-derived GFP+ cells and sequenced them using the 10X Chromium technology.
Project description:Comprehensive analyses of miRNAs expression were performed using miRNA microarrays during osteogenic differentiation of PDGFRa+ mesenchymal progenitors isolated from human skeletal muscle to identify miRNAs that are involved in osteogenesis of PDGFRa+ mesenchymal progenitors.