Induction Of MyoD Research Articles

Assessment of myogenic potency in patient-derived fibroblasts with c.1289-2A>G Desmin mutation

Abstract Objectives The ultra-rare DES c.1289-2A>G mutation, resulting in a 48-base pair insertion in the Desmin tail domain, is associated with late-onset MFM1 (myofibrillar myopathy-1; OMIM number; 601419) and exhibits distinctive pathological features. Despite sustained expression and cytoskeletal integrity, muscle biopsies reveal dystrophic characteristics through an unidentified mechanism. A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying Desmin-related MFM1 could enhance our perspective and comprehension of the disease’s pathophysiology. In this study, we aimed to investigate the pathological phenotype by assessing the myogenic potency of MyoD-induced patient-derived fibroblasts. Methods Following the immortalization and myoconversion of unaffected and patient-derived fibroblast cells, we analyzed the myogenic potency of the mutant and control groups on day 5 post-differentiation. This analysis involved staining cells with MF20 antibody and DAPI after MyoD induction. Results Employing six parameters to quantify extra nuclei and myotube properties, we unveil impaired myogenic differentiation in c.1289-2A>G mutant cells, as evidenced by a compromised fusion index and distinctive myogenic features. In summary, our preliminary findings indicate phenotypic abnormalities and suggest an association between the DES c.1289-2A>G mutation and delayed maturation and MFM in affected individuals. Conclusions Our results indicate a significant involvement of Desmin in the myogenic maturation of muscle cells. Further investigation is required to understand the changes in the transcriptome during the myoconversion of patient-derived fibroblasts.

Molecular networks underlying cannabinoid signaling in skeletal muscle plasticity.

The cannabinoid system is ubiquitously present and is classically considered to engage in neural and immunity processes. Yet, the role of the cannabinoid system in the whole body and tissue metabolism via central and peripheral mechanisms is increasingly recognized. The present review provides insights in (i) how cannabinoid signaling is regulated via receptor-independent and -dependent mechanisms and (ii) how these signaling cascades (might) affect skeletal muscle plasticity and physiology. Receptor-independent mechanisms include endocannabinoid metabolism to eicosanoids and the regulation of ion channels. Alternatively, endocannabinoids can act as ligands for different classic (cannabinoid receptor 1 [CB1 ], CB2 ) and/or alternative (e.g.,TRPV1, GPR55) cannabinoid receptors with a unique affinity, specificity, and intracellular signaling cascade (often tissue-specific). Antagonism of CB1 might hold clues to improve oxidative (mitochondrial) metabolism, insulin sensitivity, satellite cell growth, and muscle anabolism, whereas CB2 agonism might be a promising way to stimulate muscle metabolism and muscle cell growth. Besides, CB2 ameliorates muscle regeneration via macrophage polarization towardan anti-inflammatory phenotype, induction of MyoD and myogenin expression and antifibrotic mechanisms. Also TRPV1 and GPR55 contribute to the regulation of muscle growth and metabolism. Future studies should reveal how the cannabinoid system can be targeted to improve muscle quantity and/or quality in conditions such as ageing, disease, disuse, and metabolic dysregulation, taking into account challenges that are inherent to modulation of the cannabinoid system, such as central and peripheral side effects.

Modeling Patient-Specific Muscular Dystrophy Phenotypes and Therapeutic Responses in Reprogrammed Myotubes Engineered on Micromolded Gelatin Hydrogels.

In vitro models of patient-derived muscle allow for more efficient development of genetic medicines for the muscular dystrophies, which often present mutation-specific pathologies. One popular strategy to generate patient-specific myotubes involves reprogramming dermal fibroblasts to a muscle lineage through MyoD induction. However, creating physiologically relevant, reproducible tissues exhibiting multinucleated, aligned myotubes with organized striations is dependent on the introduction of physicochemical cues that mimic the native muscle microenvironment. Here, we engineered patient-specific control and dystrophic muscle tissues in vitro by culturing and differentiating MyoD–directly reprogrammed fibroblasts isolated from one healthy control subject, three patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and two Limb Girdle 2A/R1 (LGMD2A/R1) patients on micromolded gelatin hydrogels. Engineered DMD and LGMD2A/R1 tissues demonstrated varying levels of defects in α-actinin expression and organization relative to control, depending on the mutation. In genetically relevant DMD tissues amenable to mRNA reframing by targeting exon 44 or 45 exclusion, exposure to exon skipping antisense oligonucleotides modestly increased myotube coverage and alignment and rescued dystrophin protein expression. These findings highlight the value of engineered culture substrates in guiding the organization of reprogrammed patient fibroblasts into aligned muscle tissues, thereby extending their value as tools for exploration and dissection of the cellular and molecular basis of genetic muscle defects, rescue, and repair.

Dissecting dual roles of MyoD during lineage conversion to mature myocytes and myogenic stem cells.

The generation of myotubes from fibroblasts upon forced MyoD expression is a classic example of transcription factor-induced reprogramming. We recently discovered that additional modulation of signaling pathways with small molecules facilitates reprogramming to more primitive induced myogenic progenitor cells (iMPCs). Here, we dissected the transcriptional and epigenetic dynamics of mouse fibroblasts undergoing reprogramming to either myotubes or iMPCs using a MyoD-inducible transgenic model. Induction of MyoD in fibroblasts combined with small molecules generated Pax7+ iMPCs with high similarity to primary muscle stem cells. Analysis of intermediate stages of iMPC induction revealed that extinction of the fibroblast program preceded induction of the stem cell program. Moreover, key stem cell genes gained chromatin accessibility prior to their transcriptional activation, and these regions exhibited a marked loss of DNA methylation dependent on the Tet enzymes. In contrast, myotube generation was associated with few methylation changes, incomplete and unstable reprogramming, and an insensitivity to Tet depletion. Finally, we showed that MyoD's ability to bind to unique bHLH targets was crucial for generating iMPCs but dispensable for generating myotubes. Collectively, our analyses elucidate the role of MyoD in myogenic reprogramming and derive general principles by which transcription factors and signaling pathways cooperate to rewire cell identity.

Effective restoration of dystrophin expression in iPSC Mdx-derived muscle progenitor cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and homology-directed repair technology

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive myopathic disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding dystrophin protein that eventually leads to the exhaustion of myogenic progenitor cells (MPC). Autologous induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide an endless source of MPC, which can potentially replenish the progenitor cell pool, repair muscle damage, and prevent DMD progression. Deletion of mutant exon 23 (ΔEx23) with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) gene-editing technology can correct dystrophin gene expression in iPSCs. However, successful exon23 deletion and clonal isolation are very inefficient (~3%), and manual selection of each iPSC clone and genotyping to identify ΔEx23 is labor-intensive. To overcome these obstacles, we added a homology-directed repair (HDR) donor vector, which carries floxed fluorescent protein and antibiotic selection genes, thus allowing us to identify ΔEx23 iPSC with donor selective gene integration. Our results indicate that the HDR-mediated targeted integration enables ΔEx23 iPSC identification; the HDR donor vector increased the recognition efficiency of clonal isolation (>90% as confirmed by Sanger sequencing). After removal of the inserted genes by Cre-mediated recombination followed by doxycycline (Dox)-induced MyoD induction, ΔEx23 iPSC differentiated into MPC with restored dystrophin expression in vitro. Importantly, transplanted ΔEx23 iPSC-MPC express dystrophin in the muscles of a mouse model of DMD (Mdx mice). In conclusion, the use of HDR donor vector increased the efficiency of ΔEx23 gene correction by CRISPR/Cas9, and facilitate the identification of successfully edited iPSC clones for cell therapy of DMD.

Reversible immortalisation enables genetic correction of human muscle progenitors and engineering of next‐generation human artificial chromosomes for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Transferring large or multiple genes into primary human stem/progenitor cells is challenged by restrictions in vector capacity, and this hurdle limits the success of gene therapy. A paradigm is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), an incurable disorder caused by mutations in the largest human gene: dystrophin. The combination of large‐capacity vectors, such as human artificial chromosomes (HACs), with stem/progenitor cells may overcome this limitation. We previously reported amelioration of the dystrophic phenotype in mice transplanted with murine muscle progenitors containing a HAC with the entire dystrophin locus (DYS‐HAC). However, translation of this strategy to human muscle progenitors requires extension of their proliferative potential to withstand clonal cell expansion after HAC transfer. Here, we show that reversible cell immortalisation mediated by lentivirally delivered excisable hTERT and Bmi1 transgenes extended cell proliferation, enabling transfer of a novel DYS‐HAC into DMD satellite cell‐derived myoblasts and perivascular cell‐derived mesoangioblasts. Genetically corrected cells maintained a stable karyotype, did not undergo tumorigenic transformation and retained their migration ability. Cells remained myogenic in vitro (spontaneously or upon MyoD induction) and engrafted murine skeletal muscle upon transplantation. Finally, we combined the aforementioned functions into a next‐generation HAC capable of delivering reversible immortalisation, complete genetic correction, additional dystrophin expression, inducible differentiation and controllable cell death. This work establishes a novel platform for complex gene transfer into clinically relevant human muscle progenitors for DMD gene therapy.

Effects of insulin like growth factors on early embryonic chick limb myogenesis.

Limb muscles derive from pax3 expressing precursor cells that migrate from the hypaxial somite into the developing limb bud. Once there they begin to differentiate and express muscle determination genes such as MyoD. This process is regulated by a combination of inductive or inhibitory signals including Fgf18, retinoic acid, HGF, Notch and IGFs. IGFs are well known to affect late stages of muscle development and to promote both proliferation and differentiation. We examined their roles in early stage limb bud myogenesis using chicken embryos as an experimental model. Grafting beads soaked in purified recombinant IGF-I, IGF-II or small molecule inhibitors of specific signaling pathways into developing chick embryo limbs showed that both IGF-I and IGF-II induce expression of the early stage myogenic markers pax3 and MyoD as well as myogenin. Their effects on pax3 and MyoD expression were blocked by inhibitors of both the IGF type I receptor (picropodophyllotoxin, PPP) and MEK (U0126). The PI3K inhibitor LY294002 blocked IGF-II, but not IGF-I, induction of pax3 mRNA as well as the IGF-I, but not IGF-II, induction of MyoD mRNA. In addition SU5402, an FGFR/ VEGFR inhibitor, blocked the induction of MyoD by both IGFs but had no effect on pax3 induction, suggesting a role for FGF or VEGF signaling in their induction of MyoD. This was confirmed by in situ hybridization showing that FGF18, a known regulator of MyoD in limb myoblasts, was induced by IGF-I. In addition to their well-known effects on later stages of myogenesis via their induction of myogenin expression, both IGF-I and IGF-II induced pax3 and MyoD expression in developing chick embryos, indicating that they also regulate early stages of myogenesis. The data suggests that the IGFs may have slightly different effects on IGF1R signal transduction via PI3K and that their stimulatory effects on MyoD expression may be indirect, possibly via induction of FGF18 expression.

Grafting of Beads into Developing Chicken Embryo Limbs to Identify Signal Transduction Pathways Affecting Gene Expression.

Using chicken embryos it is possible to test directly the effects of either growth factors or specific inhibitors of signaling pathways on gene expression and activation of signal transduction pathways. This technique allows the delivery of signaling molecules at precisely defined developmental stages for specific times. After this embryos can be harvested and gene expression examined, for example by in situ hybridization, or activation of signal transduction pathways observed with immunostaining. In this video heparin beads soaked in FGF18 or AG 1-X2 beads soaked in U0126, a MEK inhibitor, are grafted into the limb bud in ovo. This shows that FGF18 induces expression of MyoD and ERK phosphorylation and both endogenous and FGF18 induced MyoD expression is inhibited by U0126. Beads soaked in a retinoic acid antagonist can potentiate premature MyoD induction by FGF18. This approach can be used with a wide range of different growth factors and inhibitors and is easily adapted to other tissues in the developing embryo.

Interactions between FGF18 and retinoic acid regulate differentiation of chick embryo limb myoblasts

During limb development Pax3 positive myoblasts delaminate from the hypaxial dermomyotome of limb level somites and migrate into the limb bud where they form the dorsal and ventral muscle masses. Only then do they begin to differentiate and express markers of myogenic commitment and determination such as Myf5 and MyoD. However the signals regulating this process remain poorly characterised. We show that FGF18, which is expressed in the distal mesenchyme of the limb bud, induces premature expression of both Myf5 and MyoD and that blocking FGF signalling also inhibits endogenous MyoD expression. This expression is mediated by ERK MAP kinase but not PI3K signalling. We also show that retinoic acid (RA) can inhibit the myogenic activity of FGF18 and that blocking RA signalling allows premature induction of MyoD by FGF18 at HH19. We propose a model where interactions between FGF18 in the distal limb and retinoic acid in the proximal limb regulate the timing of myogenic gene expression during limb bud development.

Myogenic Differentiation of Muscular Dystrophy-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Use in Drug Discovery

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent a scalable source of potentially any cell type for disease modeling and therapeutic screening. We have a particular interest in modeling skeletal muscle from various genetic backgrounds; however, efficient and reproducible methods for the myogenic differentiation of iPSCs have not previously been demonstrated. Ectopic myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD) expression has been shown to induce myogenesis in primary cell types, but the same effect has been unexpectedly challenging to reproduce in human iPSCs. In this study, we report that optimization of culture conditions enabled direct MyoD-mediated differentiation of iPSCs into myoblasts without the need for an intermediate step or cell sorting. MyoD induction mediated efficient cell fusion of mature myocytes yielding multinucleated myosin heavy chain-positive myotubes. We applied the same approach to dystrophic iPSCs, generating 16 iPSC lines from fibroblasts of four patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies. As seen with iPSCs from healthy donors, within 36 hours from MyoD induction there was a clear commitment toward the myogenic identity by the majority of iPSCs in culture (50%-70%). The patient iPSC-derived myotubes successfully adopted the skeletal muscle program, as determined by global gene expression profiling, and were functionally responsive to treatment with hypertrophic proteins insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 7A (Wnt7a), which are being investigated as potential treatments for muscular dystrophy in clinical and preclinical studies, respectively. Our results demonstrate that iPSCs have no intrinsic barriers preventing MyoD from inducing efficient and rapid myogenesis and thus providing a scalable source of normal and dystrophic myoblasts for use in disease modeling and drug discovery.

Myostatin acts as an autocrine/paracrine negative regulator in myoblast differentiation from human induced pluripotent stem cells

Myostatin, also known as growth differentiation factor (GDF-8), regulates proliferation of muscle satellite cells, and suppresses differentiation of myoblasts into myotubes via down-regulation of key myogenic differentiation factors including MyoD. Recent advances in stem cell biology have enabled generation of myoblasts from pluripotent stem cells, but it remains to be clarified whether myostatin is also involved in regulation of artificial differentiation of myoblasts from pluripotent stem cells. Here we show that the human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived cells that were induced to differentiate into myoblasts expressed myostatin and its receptor during the differentiation. An addition of recombinant human myostatin (rhMyostatin) suppressed induction of MyoD and Myo5a, resulting in significant suppression of myoblast differentiation. The rhMyostatin treatment also inhibited proliferation of the cells at a later phase of differentiation. RNAi-mediated silencing of myostatin promoted differentiation of human iPS-derived embryoid body (EB) cells into myoblasts. These results strongly suggest that myostatin plays an important role in regulation of myoblast differentiation from iPS cells of human origin. The present findings also have significant implications for potential regenerative medicine for muscular diseases.

Highly Efficient Derivation of Skeletal Myotubes from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are a promising model for the research of embryonic development and regenerative medicine. Since the first hESC line was established, many researchers have shown that pluripotent hESCs can be directed into many types of functional adult cells in culture. However, most of the reported methods have induced differentiation through the alteration of growth factors in the culture medium. These methods are time consuming; moreover, it is difficult to obtain a pure population of the desired cells because of the low efficiency of induction. In this study, we used a lentiviral-based inducible gene-expression system in hESCs to control the ectopic expression of MyoD, which is an essential transcription factor in skeletal muscle development. The induction of MyoD can efficiently direct the pluripotent hESCs into mesoderm in 24 h. The cells then become proliferated myoblasts and finally form multinucleated myotubes in vitro. The whole procedure took about 10 days, with an induction efficiency of over 90%. To our knowledge, this is the first time that hESCs have been induced into terminally differentiated cells with only one factor. In the future, these results could be a potential resource for cell therapy for diseases of muscle dysfunction.

Coordination of Satellite Cell Activation and Self-Renewal by Par-Complex-Dependent Asymmetric Activation of p38α/β MAPK

In response to muscle injury, satellite cells activate the p38α/β MAPK pathway to exit quiescence, thenproliferate, repair skeletal muscle, and self-renew, replenishing the quiescent satellite cell pool. Although satellite cells are capable of asymmetric division, the mechanisms regulating satellite cell self-renewal are not understood. We found that satellite cells, once activated, enter the cell cycle and a subset undergoes asymmetric division, renewing the satellite cell pool. Asymmetric localization of the Par complex activates p38α/β MAPK in only one daughter cell, inducing MyoD, which permits cell cycle entry and generates a proliferating myoblast. The absence of p38α/β MAPK signaling in the other daughter cell prevents MyoD induction, renewing the quiescent satellite cell. Thus, satellite cells employ a mechanism to generate distinct daughter cells, coupling the Par complex and p38α/β MAPK signaling to link the response to muscle injury with satellite cell self-renewal.

Regulation of Notch1 signaling by Delta-like ligand 1 intracellular domain through physical interaction.

Notch signaling involves the proteolytic cleavage of the transmembrane Notch receptor after binding to its transmembrane ligands. The Delta-like ligand 1 also undergoes proteolytic cleavage upon Notch binding, resulting in the production of a free intracellular domain. In this study, we have demonstrated that the Delta-like 1 intracellular domain (Dll1-IC) specifically binds to Notch1-IC in the nucleus, thereby disrupting the association of the Notch1-IC-RBP-Jk-MAM transcription activator complex. Additionally, the Notch1-mediated blockage of the induction of MyoD is abolished by the co-expression of Dll1-IC. Collectively, our results show that Dll1-IC functions as a negative regulator in Notch signaling via the disruption of the Notch1-IC-RBP-Jk complex.

JAK1–STAT1–STAT3, a key pathway promoting proliferation and preventing premature differentiation of myoblasts

Skeletal muscle stem cell–derived myoblasts are mainly responsible for postnatal muscle growth and injury-induced muscle regeneration. However, the cellular signaling pathways controlling the proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts are not fully understood. We demonstrate that Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) is required for myoblast proliferation and that it also functions as a checkpoint to prevent myoblasts from premature differentiation. Deliberate knockdown of JAK1 in both primary and immortalized myoblasts induces precocious myogenic differentiation with a concomitant reduction in cell proliferation. This is caused, in part, by an accelerated induction of MyoD, myocyte enhancer–binding factor 2 (MEF2), p21Cip1, and p27Kip1, a faster down-regulation of Id1, and an increase in MEF2-dependent gene transcription. Downstream of JAK1, of all the signal transducer and activator of transcriptions (STATs) present in myoblasts, we find that only STAT1 knockdown promotes myogenic differentiation in both primary and immortalized myoblasts. Leukemia inhibitory factor stimulates myoblast proliferation and represses differentiation via JAK1–STAT1–STAT3. Thus, JAK1–STAT1–STAT3 constitutes a signaling pathway that promotes myoblast proliferation and prevents premature myoblast differentiation.

Hes6 is required for MyoD induction during gastrulation

The specification of mesoderm into distinct compartments sharing the same lineage restricted fates is a crucial step occurring during gastrulation, and is regulated by morphogenic signals such as the FGF/MAPK and activin pathways. One target of these pathways is the transcription factor XmyoD, which in early gastrulation is expressed in the lateral and ventral mesoderm. Expression of the hairy/enhancer of split transcription factor hes6, is also restricted to lateral and ventral mesoderm in gastrula stage Xenopus embryos, leading us to investigate whether it has a role in XmyoD regulation. In vivo, Xhes6 is required for FGF-mediated induction of XmyoD expression but not for induction of early mesoderm. The WRPW domain of Xhes6, which binds Groucho family transcriptional co-regulators, is essential for the XmyoD-inducing activity of Xhes6. Two Groucho proteins, Xgrg2 and Xgrg4, are expressed in lateral and ventral mesoderm, and inhibit expression of XmyoD. Xhes6 binds both Xgrg2 and Xgrg4 and relieves their inhibition of XmyoD expression. We also find that lowering Xhes6 expression levels blocks normal myogenic differentiation at tail bud stage. We conclude that Xhes6 is essential for XmyoD induction and acts by relieving Groucho-mediated repression of gene expression.

Insulin and wnt1 pathways cooperate to induce reserve cell activation in differentiation and myotube hypertrophy.

During ex vivo myoblast differentiation, a pool of quiescent mononucleated myoblasts, reserve cells, arise alongside myotubes. Insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and PKB/Akt-dependent phosphorylation activates skeletal muscle differentiation and hypertrophy. We have investigated the role of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) inhibition by protein kinase B (PKB)/Akt and Wnt/beta-catenin pathways in reserve cell activation during myoblast differentiation and myotube hypertrophy. Inhibition of GSK-3 by LiCl or SB216763, restored insulin-dependent differentiation of C2ind myoblasts in low serum, and cooperated with insulin in serum-free medium to induce MyoD and myogenin expression in C2ind myoblasts, quiescent C2 or primary human reserve cells. We show that LiCl treatment induced nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin in C2 myoblasts, thus mimicking activation of canonical Wnt signaling. Similarly to the effect of GSK-3 inhibitors with insulin, coculturing C2 reserve cells with Wnt1-expressing fibroblasts enhanced insulin-stimulated induction of MyoD and myogenin in reserve cells. A similar cooperative effect of LiCl or Wnt1 with insulin was observed during late ex vivo differentiation and promoted increased size and fusion of myotubes. We show that this synergistic effect on myotube hypertrophy involved an increased fusion of reserve cells into preexisting myotubes. These data reveal insulin and Wnt/beta-catenin pathways cooperate in muscle cell differentiation through activation and recruitment of satellite cell-like reserve myoblasts.

Myf5 and MyoD activation define independent myogenic compartments during embryonic development

Gene targeting has indicated that Myf5 and MyoD are required for myogenic determination because skeletal myoblasts and myofibers are missing in mouse embryos lacking both Myf5 and MyoD. To investigate the fate of Myf5:MyoD-deficient myogenic precursor cells during embryogenesis, we examined the sites of epaxial, hypaxial, and cephalic myogenesis at different developmental stages. In newborn mice, excessive amounts of adipose tissue were found in the place of muscles whose progenitor cells have undergone long-range migrations as mesenchymal cells. Analysis of the expression pattern of Myogenin- lacZ transgene and muscle proteins revealed that myogenic precursor cells were not able to acquire a myogenic fate in the trunk (myotome) nor at sites of MyoD induction in the limb buds. Importantly, the Myf5-dependent precursors, as defined by Myf5 nlacZ -expression, deficient for both Myf5 and MyoD, were observed early in development to assume nonmuscle fates (e.g., cartilage) and, later in development, to extensively proliferate without cell death. Their fate appeared to significantly differ from the fate of MyoD-dependent precursors, as defined by 258/−2.5lacZ-expression (−20 kb enhancer of MyoD), of which a significant proportion failed to proliferate and underwent apoptosis. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that Myf5 and MyoD regulatory elements respond differentially in different compartments.

Time course of skeletal muscle repair and gene expression following acute hind limb ischemia in mice.

DNA microarrays were used to measure the time course of gene expression during skeletal muscle damage and regeneration in mice following femoral artery ligation (FAL). We found 1,289 known sequences were differentially expressed between the FAL and control groups. Gene expression peaked on day 3, and the functional cluster "inflammation" contained the greatest number of genes. Muscle function was depressed for 3 days postligation, but returned to normal by day 7. Decreased muscle function was accompanied by reduced expression of genes involved in mitochondrial energy production, muscle contraction, and calcium handling. The induction of MyoD on day 1 denoted the beginning of muscle regeneration and was followed by the reemergence of the embryonic forms of muscle contractile proteins, which peaked at day 7. Transcriptional analysis indicated that the ischemic skeletal muscle may transition through a functional adaptation stage with recovery of contractile force prior to full regeneration. Several members of the insulin-like growth factor axis were coordinately induced in a time frame consistent with their playing a role in the regenerative process.

Identification of novel MyoD gene targets in proliferating myogenic stem cells.

A major control point for skeletal myogenesis revolves around the muscle basic helix-loop-helix gene family that includes MyoD, Myf-5, myogenin, and MRF4. Myogenin and MRF4 are thought to be essential to terminal differentiation events, whereas MyoD and Myf-5 are critical to establishing the myogenic cell lineage and producing committed, undifferentiated myogenic stem cells (myoblasts). Although mouse genetic studies have revealed the importance of MyoD and Myf-5 for myoblast development, the genetic targets of MyoD and Myf-5 activity in undifferentiated myoblasts remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the function of MyoD as a transcriptional activator in undifferentiated myoblasts. By using conditional expression of MyoD, in conjunction with suppression subtractive hybridizations, we show that the Id3 and NP1 (neuronal pentraxin 1) genes become transcriptionally active following MyoD induction in undifferentiated myoblasts. Activation of Id3 and NP1 represents a stable, heritable event that does not rely on continued MyoD activity and is not subject to negative regulation by an activated H-Ras G12V protein. These results are the first to demonstrate that MyoD functions as a transcriptional activator in myogenic stem cells and that this key myogenic regulatory factor exhibits different gene target specificities, depending upon the cellular environment.