Analysis of the myogenin promoter reveals an indirect pathway for positive autoregulation mediated by the muscle-specific enhancer factor MEF-2

FoxP1 Represses MEF2A in Striated Muscle

Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) proteins are involved in multiple developmental, physiological, and pathological processes in vertebrates. Protein-protein interactions underlie the plethora of biological processes impacted by MEF2A, necessitating a detailed characterization of the MEF2A interactome. A nanobody based affinity-purification/mass spectrometry strategy was employed to achieve this goal. Specifically, the MEF2A protein complexes were captured from myogenic lysates using a GFP-tagged MEF2A protein immobilized with a GBP-nanobody followed by LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis to identify MEF2A interactors. After bioinformatic analysis, we further characterized the interaction of MEF2A with a transcriptional repressor, FOXP1. FOXP1 coprecipitated with MEF2A in proliferating myogenic cells which diminished upon differentiation (myotube formation). Ectopic expression of FOXP1 inhibited MEF2A driven myogenic reporter genes (derived from the creatine kinase muscle and myogenin genes) and delayed induction of endogenous myogenin during differentiation. Conversely, FOXP1 depletion enhanced MEF2A transactivation properties and myogenin expression. The FoxP1:MEF2A interaction is also preserved in cardiomyocytes and FoxP1 depletion enhanced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. FOXP1 prevented MEF2A phosphorylation and activation by the p38MAPK pathway. Overall, these data implicate FOXP1 in restricting MEF2A function in order to avoid premature differentiation in myogenic progenitors and also to possibly prevent re-activation of embryonic gene expression in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

The LIM domain protein nTRIP6 modulates the dynamics of myogenic differentiation

The process of myogenesis which operates during skeletal muscle regeneration involves the activation of muscle stem cells, the so-called satellite cells. These then give rise to proliferating progenitors, the myoblasts which subsequently exit the cell cycle and differentiate into committed precursors, the myocytes. Ultimately, the fusion of myocytes leads to myofiber formation. Here we reveal a role for the transcriptional co-regulator nTRIP6, the nuclear isoform of the LIM-domain protein TRIP6, in the temporal control of myogenesis. In an in vitro model of myogenesis, the expression of nTRIP6 is transiently up-regulated at the transition between proliferation and differentiation, whereas that of the cytosolic isoform TRIP6 is not altered. Selectively blocking nTRIP6 function results in accelerated early differentiation followed by deregulated late differentiation and fusion. Thus, the transient increase in nTRIP6 expression appears to prevent premature differentiation. Accordingly, knocking out the Trip6 gene in satellite cells leads to deregulated skeletal muscle regeneration dynamics in the mouse. Thus, dynamic changes in nTRIP6 expression contributes to the temporal control of myogenesis.

A human Myogenin promoter modified to be highly active in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma drives an effective suicide gene therapy

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare childhood soft tissue cancer whose cells resemble poorly differentiated skeletal muscle, expressing myogenic proteins including MYOGENIN. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) accounts for ~40% of cases and is associated with a poorer prognosis than other rhabdomyosarcoma variants, especially if containing the chromosomal translocation generating the PAX3-FOXO1 hybrid transcription factor. Metastasis is commonly present at diagnosis, with a five-year survival rate of <30%, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic approaches. We designed a suicide gene therapy by generating an ARMS-targeted promoter to drive the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) suicide gene. We modified the minimal human MYOGENIN promoter by deleting both the NF1 and MEF3 transcription factor binding motifs to produce a promoter that is highly active in ARMS cells. Our bespoke ARMS promoter driving HSV-TK efficiently killed ARMS cells in vitro, but not skeletal myoblasts. Using a xenograft mouse model, we also demonstrated that ARMS promoter-HSV-TK causes apoptosis of ARMS cells in vivo. Importantly, combining our suicide gene therapy with standard chemotherapy agents used in the treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma, reduced the effective drug dose, diminishing deleterious side effects/patient burden. This modified, highly ARMS-specific promoter could provide a new therapy option for this difficult-to-treat cancer.

Dynamics of myogenic differentiation using a novel Myogenin knock-in reporter mouse

Background

Myogenin is a transcription factor that is expressed during terminal myoblast differentiation in embryonic development and adult muscle regeneration. Investigation of this cell state transition has been hampered by the lack of a sensitive reporter to dynamically track cells during differentiation.

Results

Here, we report a knock-in mouse line expressing the tdTOMATO fluorescent protein from the endogenous Myogenin locus. Expression of tdTOMATO in Myog^ntdTom mice recapitulated endogenous Myogenin expression during embryonic muscle formation and adult regeneration and enabled the isolation of the MYOGENIN⁺ cell population. We also show that tdTOMATO fluorescence allows tracking of differentiating myoblasts in vitro and by intravital imaging in vivo. Lastly, we monitored by live imaging the cell division dynamics of differentiating myoblasts in vitro and showed that a fraction of the MYOGENIN⁺ population can undergo one round of cell division, albeit at a much lower frequency than MYOGENIN⁻ myoblasts.

Conclusions

We expect that this reporter mouse will be a valuable resource for researchers investigating skeletal muscle biology in developmental and adult contexts.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13395-021-00260-x.

The calmodulin redox sensor controls myogenesis

Muscle aging is accompanied by blunted muscle regeneration in response to injury and disuse. Oxidative stress likely underlies this diminished response, but muscle redox sensors that act in regeneration have not yet been characterized. Calmodulin contains multiple redox sensitive methionines whose oxidation alters the regulation of numerous cellular targets. We have used the CRISPR-Cas9 system to introduce a single amino acid substitution M109Q that mimics oxidation of methionine to methionine sulfoxide in one or both alleles of the CALM1 gene, one of three genes encoding the muscle regulatory protein calmodulin, in C2C12 mouse myoblasts. When signaled to undergo myogenesis, mutated myoblasts failed to differentiate into myotubes. Although early myogenic regulatory factors were present, cells with the CALM1 M109Q mutation in one or both alleles were unable to withdraw from the cell cycle and failed to express late myogenic factors. We have shown that a single oxidative modification to a redox-sensitive muscle regulatory protein can halt myogenesis, suggesting a molecular target for mitigating the impact of oxidative stress in age-related muscle degeneration.

Calcineurin Broadly Regulates the Initiation of Skeletal Muscle-Specific Gene Expression by Binding Target Promoters and Facilitating the Interaction of the SWI/SNF Chromatin Remodeling Enzyme

Calcineurin (Cn) is a calcium-activated serine/threonine protein phosphatase that is broadly implicated in diverse cellular processes, including the regulation of gene expression. During skeletal muscle differentiation, Cn activates the nuclear factor of activated T-cell (NFAT) transcription factor but also promotes differentiation by counteracting the negative influences of protein kinase C beta (PKCβ) via dephosphorylation and activation of Brg1, an enzymatic subunit of the mammalian SWI/SNF ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzyme. Here we identified four major temporal patterns of Cn-dependent gene expression in differentiating myoblasts and determined that Cn is broadly required for the activation of the myogenic gene expression program. Mechanistically, Cn promotes gene expression through direct binding to myogenic promoter sequences and facilitating the binding of Brg1, other SWI/SNF subunit proteins, and MyoD, a critical lineage determinant for skeletal muscle differentiation. We conclude that the Cn phosphatase directly impacts the expression of myogenic genes by promoting ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling and formation of transcription-competent promoters.

Orai1 inhibitor STIM2β regulates myogenesis by controlling SOCE dependent transcriptional factors

Store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE), the fundamental Ca²⁺ signaling mechanism in myogenesis, is mediated by stromal interaction molecule (STIM), which senses the depletion of endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ stores and induces Ca²⁺ influx by activating Orai channels in the plasma membrane. Recently, STIM2β, an eight-residue-inserted splice variant of STIM2, was found to act as an inhibitor of SOCE. Although a previous study demonstrated an increase in STIM2β splicing during in vitro differentiation of skeletal muscle, the underlying mechanism and detailed function of STIM2β in myogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the function of STIM2β in myogenesis using the C2C12 cell line with RNA interference-mediated knockdown and CRISPR-Cas-mediated knockout approaches. Deletion of STIM2β delayed myogenic differentiation through the MEF2C and NFAT4 pathway in C2C12 cells. Further, loss of STIM2β increased cell proliferation by altering Ca²⁺ homeostasis and inhibited cell cycle arrest mediated by the cyclin D1-CDK4 degradation pathway. Thus, this study identified a previously unknown function of STIM2β in myogenesis and improves the understanding of how cells effectively regulate the development process via alternative splicing.

Role of Zebrafish fhl1A in Satellite Cell and Skeletal Muscle Development

Background:

Four-and-a-half LIM domains protein 1 (FHL1) mutations are associated with human myopathies. However, the function of this protein in skeletal development remains unclear.

Methods:

Whole-mount in situ hybridization and embryo immunostaining were performed.

Results:

Zebrafish Fhl1A is the homologue of human FHL1. We showed that fhl1A knockdown causes defective skeletal muscle development, while injection with fhl1A mRNA largely recovered the muscle development in these fhl1A morphants. We also demonstrated that fhl1A knockdown decreases the number of satellite cells. This decrease in satellite cells and the emergence of skeletal muscle abnormalities were associated with alterations in the gene expression of myoD, pax7, mef2ca and skMLCK. We also demonstrated that fhl1A expression and retinoic acid (RA) signalling caused similar skeletal muscle development phenotypes. Moreover, when treated with exogenous RA, endogenous fhl1A expression in skeletal muscles was robust. When treated with DEAB, an RA signalling inhibitor which inhibits the activity of retinaldehyde dehydrogenase, fhl1A was downregulated.

Conclusion:

fhl1A functions as an activator in regulating the number of satellite cells and in skeletal muscle development. The role of fhl1A in skeletal myogenesis is regulated by RA signaling.

Cytoplasmic sequestration of the RhoA effector mDiaphanous1 by Prohibitin2 promotes muscle differentiation

Muscle differentiation is controlled by adhesion and growth factor-dependent signalling through common effectors that regulate muscle-specific transcriptional programs. Here we report that mDiaphanous1, an effector of adhesion-dependent RhoA-signalling, negatively regulates myogenesis at the level of Myogenin expression. In myotubes, over-expression of mDia1ΔN3, a RhoA-independent mutant, suppresses Myogenin promoter activity and expression. We investigated mDia1-interacting proteins that may counteract mDia1 to permit Myogenin expression and timely differentiation. Using yeast two-hybrid and mass-spectrometric analysis, we report that mDia1 has a stage-specific interactome, including Prohibitin2, MyoD, Akt2, and β-Catenin, along with a number of proteosomal and mitochondrial components. Of these interacting partners, Prohibitin2 colocalises with mDia1 in cytoplasmic punctae in myotubes. We mapped the interacting domains of mDia1 and Phb2, and used interacting (mDia1ΔN3/Phb2 FL or mDia1ΔN3/Phb2-Carboxy) and non-interacting pairs (mDia1H + P/Phb2 FL or mDia1ΔN3/Phb2-Amino) to dissect the functional consequences of this partnership on Myogenin promoter activity. Co-expression of full-length as well as mDia1-interacting domains of Prohibitin2 reverse the anti-myogenic effects of mDia1ΔN3, while non-interacting regions do not. Our results suggest that Prohibitin2 sequesters mDia1, dampens its anti-myogenic activity and fine-tunes RhoA-mDia1 signalling to promote differentiation. Overall, we report that mDia1 is multi-functional signalling effector whose anti-myogenic activity is modulated by a differentiation-dependent interactome. The data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD012257.

Time-dependent Pax3-mediated chromatin remodeling and cooperation with Six4 and Tead2 specify the skeletal myogenic lineage in developing mesoderm

The transcriptional mechanisms driving lineage specification during development are still largely unknown, as the interplay of multiple transcription factors makes it difficult to dissect these molecular events. Using a cell-based differentiation platform to probe transcription function, we investigated the role of the key paraxial mesoderm and skeletal myogenic commitment factors-mesogenin 1 (Msgn1), T-box 6 (Tbx6), forkhead box C1 (Foxc1), paired box 3 (Pax3), Paraxis, mesenchyme homeobox 1 (Meox1), sine oculis-related homeobox 1 (Six1), and myogenic factor 5 (Myf5)-in paraxial mesoderm and skeletal myogenesis. From this study, we define a genetic hierarchy, with Pax3 emerging as the gatekeeper between the presomitic mesoderm and the myogenic lineage. By assaying chromatin accessibility, genomic binding and transcription profiling in mesodermal cells from mouse and human Pax3-induced embryonic stem cells and Pax3-null embryonic day (E)9.5 mouse embryos, we identified conserved Pax3 functions in the activation of the skeletal myogenic lineage through modulation of Hedgehog, Notch, and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathways. In addition, we demonstrate that Pax3 molecular function involves chromatin remodeling of its bound elements through an increase in chromatin accessibility and cooperation with sine oculis-related homeobox 4 (Six4) and TEA domain family member 2 (Tead2) factors. To our knowledge, these data provide the first integrated analysis of Pax3 function, demonstrating its ability to remodel chromatin in mesodermal cells from developing embryos and proving a mechanistic footing for the transcriptional hierarchy driving myogenesis.

Myogenic progenitor specification from pluripotent stem cells

Pluripotent stem cells represent important tools for both basic and translational science as they enable to study mechanisms of development, model diseases in vitro and provide a potential source of tissue-specific progenitors for cell therapy. Concomitantly with the increasing knowledge of the molecular mechanisms behind activation of the skeletal myogenic program during embryonic development, novel findings in the stem cell field provided the opportunity to begin recapitulating in vitro the events occurring during specification of the myogenic lineage. In this review, we will provide a perspective of the molecular mechanisms responsible for skeletal myogenic commitment in the embryo and how this knowledge was instrumental for specifying this lineage from pluripotent stem cells. In addition, we will discuss the current limitations for properly recapitulating skeletal myogenesis in the petri dish, and we will provide insights about future applications of pluripotent stem cell-derived myogenic cells.

Alternative Splicing of Transcription Factors Genes in Muscle Physiology and Pathology

Skeletal muscle formation is a multi-step process that is governed by complex networks of transcription factors. The regulation of their functions is in turn multifaceted, including several mechanisms, among them alternative splicing (AS) plays a primary role. On the other hand, altered AS has a role in the pathogenesis of numerous muscular pathologies. Despite these premises, the causal role played by the altered splicing pattern of transcripts encoding myogenic transcription factors in neuromuscular diseases has been neglected so far. In this review, we systematically investigate what has been described about the AS patterns of transcription factors both in the physiology of the skeletal muscle formation process and in neuromuscular diseases, in the hope that this may be useful in re-evaluating the potential role of altered splicing of transcription factors in such diseases.

MyoD- and FoxO3-mediated hotspot interaction orchestrates super-enhancer activity during myogenic differentiation

Super-enhancers (SEs) are cis-regulatory elements enriching lineage specific key transcription factors (TFs) to form hotspots. A paucity of identification and functional dissection promoted us to investigate SEs during myoblast differentiation. ChIP-seq analysis of histone marks leads to the uncovering of SEs which remodel progressively during the course of differentiation. Further analyses of TF ChIP-seq enable the definition of SE hotspots co-bound by the master TF, MyoD and other TFs, among which we perform in-depth dissection for MyoD/FoxO3 interaction in driving the hotspots formation and SE activation. Furthermore, using Myogenin as a model locus, we elucidate the hierarchical and complex interactions among hotspots during the differentiation, demonstrating SE function is propelled by the physical and functional cooperation among hotspots. Finally, we show MyoD and FoxO3 are key in orchestrating the Myogenin hotspots interaction and activation. Altogether our results identify muscle-specific SEs and provide mechanistic insights into the functionality of SE.

Decreased myoblast differentiation in chronic binge alcohol-administered simian immunodeficiency virus-infected male macaques: role of decreased miR-206

Skeletal muscle stem cells play a critical role in regeneration of myofibers. We previously demonstrated that chronic binge alcohol (CBA) markedly attenuates myoblast differentiation potential and myogenic gene expression. Muscle-specific microRNAs (miRs) are implicated in regulation of myogenic genes. The aim of this study was to determine whether myoblasts isolated from asymptomatic CBA-administered simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected macaques treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) showed similar impairments and, if so, to elucidate potential underlying mechanisms. Myoblasts were isolated from muscle at 11 mo after SIV infection from CBA/SIV macaques and from time-matched sucrose (SUC)-treated SIV-infected (SUC/SIV) animals and age-matched controls. Myoblast differentiation and myogenic gene expression were significantly decreased in myoblasts from SUC/SIV and CBA/SIV animals compared with controls. SIV and CBA decreased muscle-specific miR-206 in plasma and muscle and SIV decreased miR-206 expression in myoblasts, with no statistically significant changes in other muscle-specific miRs. These findings were associated with a significant increase in histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) and decrease in myogenic enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) expression in CBA/SIV muscle. Transfection with miR-206 inhibitor decreased myotube differentiation, increased expression of HDAC4, and decreased MEF2C, suggesting a critical role of miR-206 in myogenesis. Moreover, HDAC4 was confirmed to be a direct miR-206 target. These results support a mechanistic role for decreased miR-206 in suppression of myoblast differentiation resulting from chronic alcohol and SIV infection. The parallel changes in skeletal muscle and circulating levels of miR-206 warrant studies to establish the possible use of plasma miR-206 as an indicator of impaired muscle function.

Developmental Stage, Muscle and Genetic Type Modify Muscle Transcriptome in Pigs: Effects on Gene Expression and Regulatory Factors Involved in Growth and Metabolism

Iberian pig production includes purebred (IB) and Duroc-crossbred (IBxDU) pigs, which show important differences in growth, fattening and tissue composition. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of genetic type and muscle (Longissimus dorsi (LD) vs Biceps femoris (BF)) on gene expression and transcriptional regulation at two developmental stages. Nine IB and 10 IBxDU piglets were slaughtered at birth, and seven IB and 10 IBxDU at four months of age (growing period). Carcass traits and LD intramuscular fat (IMF) content were measured. Muscle transcriptome was analyzed on LD samples with RNA-Seq technology. Carcasses were smaller in IB than in IBxDU neonates (p < 0.001), while growing IB pigs showed greater IMF content (p < 0.05). Gene expression was affected (p < 0.01 and Fold change > 1.5) by the developmental stage (5,812 genes), muscle type (135 genes), and genetic type (261 genes at birth and 113 at growth). Newborns transcriptome reflected a highly proliferative developmental stage, while older pigs showed upregulation of catabolic and muscle functioning processes. Regarding the genetic type effect, IBxDU newborns showed enrichment of gene pathways involved in muscle growth, in agreement with the higher prenatal growth observed in these pigs. However, IB growing pigs showed enrichment of pathways involved in protein deposition and cellular growth, supporting the compensatory gain experienced by IB pigs during this period. Moreover, newborn and growing IB pigs showed more active glucose and lipid metabolism than IBxDU pigs. Moreover, LD muscle seems to have more active muscular and cell growth, while BF points towards lipid metabolism and fat deposition. Several regulators controlling transcriptome changes in both genotypes were identified across muscles and ages (SIM1, PVALB, MEFs, TCF7L2 or FOXO1), being strong candidate genes to drive expression and thus, phenotypic differences between IB and IBxDU pigs. Many of the identified regulators were known to be involved in muscle and adipose tissues development, but others not previously associated with pig muscle growth were also identified, as PVALB, KLF1 or IRF2. The present study discloses potential molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic differences observed between IB and IBxDU pigs and highlights candidate genes implicated in these molecular mechanisms.

Time course and side-by-side analysis of mesodermal, pre-myogenic, myogenic and differentiated cell markers in the chicken model for skeletal muscle formation

The chicken is a well-established model for amniote (including human) skeletal muscle formation because the developmental anatomy of chicken skeletal muscle matches that of mammals. The accessibility of the chicken in the egg as well as the sequencing of its genome and novel molecular techniques have raised the profile of this model. Over the years, a number of regulatory and marker genes have been identified that are suited to monitor the progress of skeletal myogenesis both in wildtype and in experimental embryos. However, in the various studies, differing markers at different stages of development have been used. Moreover, contradictory results on the hierarchy of regulatory factors are now emerging, and clearly, factors need to be able to cooperate. Thus, a reference paper describing in detail and side-by-side the time course of marker gene expression during avian myogenesis is needed. We comparatively analysed onset and expression patterns of the key markers for the chicken immature paraxial mesoderm, for muscle-competent cells, for cells committed to myogenesis and for cells entering terminal differentiation. We performed this analysis from stages when the first paraxial mesoderm is being laid down to the stage when mesoderm formation comes to a conclusion. Our data show that, although the sequence of marker gene expression is the same at the various stages of development, the timing of the expression onset is quite different. Moreover, marker gene expression in myogenic cells being deployed from the dorsomedial and ventrolateral lips of the dermomyotome is different from those being deployed from the rostrocaudal lips, suggesting different molecular programs. Furthermore, expression of Myosin Heavy Chain genes is overlapping but different along the length of a myotube. Finally, Mef2c is the most likely partner of Mrf proteins, and, in contrast to the mouse and more alike frog and zebrafish fish, chicken Mrf4 is co-expressed with MyoG as cells enter terminal differentiation.

Nfix Regulates Temporal Progression of Muscle Regeneration through Modulation of Myostatin Expression

Nfix belongs to a family of four highly conserved proteins that act as transcriptional activators and/or repressors of cellular and viral genes. We previously showed a pivotal role for Nfix in regulating the transcriptional switch from embryonic to fetal myogenesis. Here, we show that Nfix directly represses the Myostatin promoter, thus controlling the proper timing of satellite cell differentiation and muscle regeneration. Nfix-null mice display delayed regeneration after injury, and this deficit is reversed upon in vivo Myostatin silencing. Conditional deletion of Nfix in satellite cells results in a similar delay in regeneration, confirming the functional requirement for Nfix in satellite cells. Moreover, mice lacking Nfix show reduced myofiber cross sectional area and a predominant slow twitching phenotype. These data define a role for Nfix in postnatal skeletal muscle and unveil a mechanism for Myostatin regulation, thus providing insights into the modulation of its complex signaling pathway.

Comparative Analysis of Muscle Transcriptome between Pig Genotypes Identifies Genes and Regulatory Mechanisms Associated to Growth, Fatness and Metabolism

Iberian ham production includes both purebred (IB) and Duroc-crossbred (IBxDU) Iberian pigs, which show important differences in meat quality and production traits, such as muscle growth and fatness. This experiment was conducted to investigate gene expression differences, transcriptional regulation and genetic polymorphisms that could be associated with the observed phenotypic differences between IB and IBxDU pigs. Nine IB and 10 IBxDU pigs were slaughtered at birth. Morphometric measures and blood samples were obtained and samples from Biceps femoris muscle were employed for compositional and transcriptome analysis by RNA-Seq technology. Phenotypic differences were evident at this early age, including greater body size and weight in IBxDU and greater Biceps femoris intramuscular fat and plasma cholesterol content in IB newborns. We detected 149 differentially expressed genes between IB and IBxDU neonates (p < 0.01 and Fold-Change > 1. 5). Several were related to adipose and muscle tissues development (DLK1, FGF21 or UBC). The functional interpretation of the transcriptomic differences revealed enrichment of functions and pathways related to lipid metabolism in IB and to cellular and muscle growth in IBxDU pigs. Protein catabolism, cholesterol biosynthesis and immune system were functions enriched in both genotypes. We identified transcription factors potentially affecting the observed gene expression differences. Some of them have known functions on adipogenesis (CEBPA, EGRs), lipid metabolism (PPARGC1B) and myogenesis (FOXOs, MEF2D, MYOD1), which suggest a key role in the meat quality differences existing between IB and IBxDU hams. We also identified several polymorphisms showing differential segregation between IB and IBxDU pigs. Among them, non-synonymous variants were detected in several transcription factors as PPARGC1B and TRIM63 genes, which could be associated to altered gene function. Taken together, these results provide information about candidate genes, metabolic pathways and genetic polymorphisms potentially involved in phenotypic differences between IB and IBxDU pigs associated to meat quality and production traits.

AKAP6 inhibition impairs myoblast differentiation and muscle regeneration: Positive loop between AKAP6 and myogenin

Skeletal muscle regeneration occurs continuously to repair muscle damage incurred during normal activity and in chronic disease or injury. Herein, we report that A-kinase anchoring protein 6 (AKAP6) is important for skeletal myoblast differentiation and muscle regeneration. Compared with unstimulated skeletal myoblasts that underwent proliferation, differentiated cells show significant stimulation of AKAP6 expression. AKAP6 knockdown with siRNA effectively halts the formation of myotubes and decreases the expression of the differentiation markers myogenin and myosin heavy chain. When shAKAP6-lentivirus is delivered to mice with cardiotoxin (CTX)-induced muscle injury, muscle regeneration is impaired compared with that of mice injected with control shMock-lentivirus. The motor functions of mice infected with shAKAP6-lentivirus (CTX+shAK6) are significantly worse than those of mice infected with shMock-lentivirus (CTX+shMock). Mechanistic analysis showed that AKAP6 promotes myogenin expression through myocyte enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A). Notably, myogenin increases AKAP6 expression as well. The results of chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase assays showed that myogenin binds to an E-box site on the AKAP6 promoter. Taken together, our findings demonstrate a novel interplay between AKAP6 and myogenin, and we suggest that AKAP6 is an important regulator of myoblast differentiation, myotube formation, and muscle regeneration.

MEF2D drives photoreceptor development through a genome-wide competition for tissue-specific enhancers

Organismal development requires the precise coordination of genetic programs to regulate cell fate and function. MEF2 transcription factors (TFs) play essential roles in this process but how these broadly expressed factors contribute to the generation of specific cell types during development is poorly understood. Here we show that despite being expressed in virtually all mammalian tissues, in the retina MEF2D binds to retina-specific enhancers and controls photoreceptor cell development. MEF2D achieves specificity by cooperating with a retina-specific factor CRX, which recruits MEF2D away from canonical MEF2 binding sites and redirects it to retina-specific enhancers that lack the consensus MEF2-binding sequence. Once bound to retina-specific enhancers, MEF2D and CRX co-activate the expression of photoreceptor-specific genes that are critical for retinal function. These findings demonstrate that broadly expressed TFs acquire specific functions through competitive recruitment to enhancers by tissue-specific TFs and through selective activation of these enhancers to regulate tissue-specific genes.

Skeletal muscle tissue engineering: methods to form skeletal myotubes and their applications

Skeletal muscle tissue engineering (SMTE) aims to repair or regenerate defective skeletal muscle tissue lost by traumatic injury, tumor ablation, or muscular disease. However, two decades after the introduction of SMTE, the engineering of functional skeletal muscle in the laboratory still remains a great challenge, and numerous techniques for growing functional muscle tissues are constantly being developed. This article reviews the recent findings regarding the methodology and various technical aspects of SMTE, including cell alignment and differentiation. We describe the structure and organization of muscle and discuss the methods for myoblast alignment cultured in vitro. To better understand muscle formation and to enhance the engineering of skeletal muscle, we also address the molecular basics of myogenesis and discuss different methods to induce myoblast differentiation into myotubes. We then provide an overview of different coculture systems involving skeletal muscle cells, and highlight major applications of engineered skeletal muscle tissues. Finally, potential challenges and future research directions for SMTE are outlined.

NFATc1 controls skeletal muscle fiber type and is a negative regulator of MyoD activity

Skeletal muscle comprises a heterogeneous population of fibers with important physiological differences. Fast fibers are glycolytic and fatigue rapidly. Slow fibers utilize oxidative metabolism and are fatigue resistant. Muscle diseases such as sarcopenia and atrophy selectively affect fast fibers, but the molecular mechanisms regulating fiber type-specific gene expression remain incompletely understood. Here, we show that the transcription factor NFATc1 controls fiber type composition and is required for fast-to-slow fiber type switching in response to exercise in vivo. Moreover, MyoD is a crucial transcriptional effector of the fast fiber phenotype, and we show that NFATc1 inhibits MyoD-dependent fast fiber gene promoters by physically interacting with the N-terminal activation domain of MyoD and blocking recruitment of the essential transcriptional coactivator p300. These studies establish a molecular mechanism for fiber type switching through direct inhibition of MyoD to control the opposing roles of MyoD and NFATc1 in fast versus slow fiber phenotypes.

The Cavβ1a subunit regulates gene expression and suppresses myogenin in muscle progenitor cells

Ca_vβ_1a acts as a voltage-gated calcium channel-independent regulator of gene expression in muscle progenitor cells and is required for their normal expansion during myogenic development.

Voltage-gated calcium channel (Ca_v) β subunits are auxiliary subunits to Ca_vs. Recent reports show Ca_vβ subunits may enter the nucleus and suggest a role in transcriptional regulation, but the physiological relevance of this localization remains unclear. We sought to define the nuclear function of Ca_vβ in muscle progenitor cells (MPCs). We found that Ca_vβ_1a is expressed in proliferating MPCs, before expression of the calcium conducting subunit Ca_v1.1, and enters the nucleus. Loss of Ca_vβ_1a expression impaired MPC expansion in vitro and in vivo and caused widespread changes in global gene expression, including up-regulation of myogenin. Additionally, we found that Ca_vβ_1a localizes to the promoter region of a number of genes, preferentially at noncanonical (NC) E-box sites. Ca_vβ_1a binds to a region of the Myog promoter containing an NC E-box, suggesting a mechanism for inhibition of myogenin gene expression. This work indicates that Ca_vβ_1a acts as a Ca_v-independent regulator of gene expression in MPCs, and is required for their normal expansion during myogenic development.

Expression characterization and promoter activity analysis of the tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) myosin light chain 3 promoter in skeletal muscle of fish

A tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) myosin light chain 3 (Mlc3) promoter region (~4.3 kb) was isolated and characterized. Sequence analysis of the clone revealed high similarity with a tilapia gene encoding the Mlc3 promoter region, exon 1, and intron 1. The clone contained several putative binding sequences for transcription factors, including MEF-2, MYOG, MyoD, PKNOX1, and AREB6. Deletion of a region of the tilapia Mlc3 promoter (801 to -3,881 bp) enhanced promoter activity, as determined by direct injection of a luciferase reporter construct into skeletal muscle of Archocentrus nigrofasciatus. These findings suggest that the region between -801 and -3,881 bp may contain negative regulatory elements. Stable germline transgenic strains of the ornamental fish species A. nigrofasciatus var. carrying the Taiwan coral red fluorescent protein (TcRFP) driven by the Mlc3 promoter were established. F1 adult transgenic A. nigrofasciatus var. exhibited brilliant pink fluorescence in skeletal muscles in the daylight. Therefore, our current study demonstrates the feasibility of using the tilapia Mlc3 promoter to drive fluorescence in new fish species, such as Perciformes.

Distinct transcriptional networks in quiescent myoblasts: a role for Wnt signaling in reversible vs. irreversible arrest

Most cells in adult mammals are non-dividing: differentiated cells exit the cell cycle permanently, but stem cells exist in a state of reversible arrest called quiescence. In damaged skeletal muscle, quiescent satellite stem cells re-enter the cell cycle, proliferate and subsequently execute divergent programs to regenerate both post-mitotic myofibers and quiescent stem cells. The molecular basis for these alternative programs of arrest is poorly understood. In this study, we used an established myogenic culture model (C2C12 myoblasts) to generate cells in alternative states of arrest and investigate their global transcriptional profiles. Using cDNA microarrays, we compared G₀ myoblasts with post-mitotic myotubes. Our findings define the transcriptional program of quiescent myoblasts in culture and establish that distinct gene expression profiles, especially of tumour suppressor genes and inhibitors of differentiation characterize reversible arrest, distinguishing this state from irreversibly arrested myotubes. We also reveal the existence of a tissue-specific quiescence program by comparing G₀ C2C12 myoblasts to isogenic G₀ fibroblasts (10T1/2). Intriguingly, in myoblasts but not fibroblasts, quiescence is associated with a signature of Wnt pathway genes. We provide evidence that different levels of signaling via the canonical Wnt pathway characterize distinct cellular states (proliferation vs. quiescence vs. differentiation). Moderate induction of Wnt signaling in quiescence is associated with critical properties such as clonogenic self-renewal. Exogenous Wnt treatment subverts the quiescence program and negatively affects clonogenicity. Finally, we identify two new quiescence-induced regulators of canonical Wnt signaling, Rgs2 and Dkk3, whose induction in G₀ is required for clonogenic self-renewal. These results support the concept that active signal-mediated regulation of quiescence contributes to stem cell properties, and have implications for pathological states such as cancer and degenerative disease.

Effects of myogenin on expression of late muscle genes through MyoD-dependent chromatin remodeling ability of myogenin

MyoD and myogenin (Myog) recognize sets of distinct but overlapping target genes and play different roles in skeletal muscle differentiation. MyoD is sufficient for near-full expression of early targets, while Myog can only partially enhance expression of MyoD-initiated late muscle genes. However, the way in which Myog enhances the expression of MyoD-initiated late muscle genes remains unclear. Here, we examine the effects of Myog on chromatin remodeling at late muscle gene promoters and their activation within chromatin environment. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that Myog selectively bound to the regulatory sequences of late muscle genes. Overexpression of Myog was found to overcome sodium butyrateinhibited chromatin at late muscle genes in differentiating C2C12 myoblasts, shifting the transcriptional activation of these genes to an earlier time period. Furthermore, overexpression of Myog led to increased hyperacetylation of core histone H4 in differentiating C2C12 myoblasts but not NIH3T3 fibroblasts, and hyperacetylated H4 was associated directly with the late muscle genes in differentiating C2C12, indicating that Myog can induce chromatin remodeling in the presence of MyoD. In addition, co-immunoprecipitation (CoIP) revealed that Myog was associated with the nuclear protein Brd4 in differentiating C2C12 myoblasts. Together, these results suggest that Myog enhances the expression of MyoD-initiated late muscle genes through MyoD-dependent ability of Myog to induce chromatin remodeling, in which Myog-Brd4 interaction may be involved.

Turning on myogenin in muscle: a paradigm for understanding mechanisms of tissue-specific gene expression

Expression of the myogenin (Myog) gene is restricted to skeletal muscle cells where the transcriptional activator turns on a gene expression program that permits the transition from proliferating myoblasts to differentiating myotubes. The strict temporal and spatial regulation on Myog expression in the embryo makes it an ideal gene to study the developmental regulation of tissue-specific expression. Over the last 20 years, our knowledge of the regulation of Myog expression has evolved from the identification of the minimal promoter elements necessary for the gene to be transcribed in muscle, to a mechanistic understanding of how the proteins that bind these DNA elements work together to establish transcriptional competence. Here we present our current understanding of the developmental regulation of gene expression gained from studies of the Myog gene.

Signal-dependent incorporation of MyoD-BAF60c into Brg1-based SWI/SNF chromatin-remodelling complex

Tissue-specific transcriptional activators initiate differentiation towards specialized cell types by inducing chromatin modifications permissive for transcription at target loci, through the recruitment of SWItch/Sucrose NonFermentable (SWI/SNF) chromatin-remodelling complex. However, the molecular mechanism that regulates SWI/SNF nuclear distribution in response to differentiation signals is unknown. We show that the muscle determination factor MyoD and the SWI/SNF subunit BAF60c interact on the regulatory elements of MyoD-target genes in myoblasts, prior to activation of transcription. BAF60c facilitates MyoD binding to target genes and marks the chromatin for signal-dependent recruitment of the SWI/SNF core to muscle genes. BAF60c phosphorylation on a conserved threonine by differentiation-activated p38α kinase is the signal that promotes incorporation of MyoD-BAF60c into a Brg1-based SWI/SNF complex, which remodels the chromatin and activates transcription of MyoD-target genes. Our data support an unprecedented two-step model by which pre-assembled BAF60c-MyoD complex directs recruitment of SWI/SNF to muscle loci in response to differentiation cues.

Transcriptional activity regulates alternative cleavage and polyadenylation

Transcriptomic and epigenomic data, as well as reporter and nuclear run-on assays collectively show that transcriptional activity regulates the relative abundance of alternative polyadenylation isoforms, indicating general coupling of 3′ end processing to transcription.

Using RNA-seq and exon array data for a large number of human and mouse tissues and cells, we identified a general correlation between relative expression of alternative polyadenylation (APA) isoforms and gene expression level: short 3′UTR isoforms are relatively more abundant when genes are highly expressed whereas long 3′UTR isoforms are relatively more abundant when genes are lowly expressed.

Using reporter assays with different promoters, we found that induction of transcription leads to more usage of promoter-proximal polyA sites, suggesting modulation of 3′ end processing efficiency by transcriptional activity. Global analysis and reporter-based assays further revealed that regulation of polyA site choice by transcription takes place when genes are regulated under different cell conditions.

Using global and reporter-based nuclear run-on assays, we found that highly expressed genes tend to have more RNA polymerase II pausing at promoter-proximal polyA sites, as compared with lowly expressed genes, supporting the notion that the efficiency of 3′ end processing is coupled to transcriptional activity.

Highly expressed genes have a lower nucleosome level but higher H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 levels at promoter-proximal polyA sites relative to distal ones, as compared with lowly expressed genes, indicating that transcriptional activity impacts 3′ end processing and regulation of APA leaves epigenetic signatures.

Genes containing multiple pre-mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation sites, or polyA sites, express mRNA isoforms with variable 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs). By systematic analysis of human and mouse transcriptomes, we found that short 3′UTR isoforms are relatively more abundant when genes are highly expressed whereas long 3′UTR isoforms are relatively more abundant when genes are lowly expressed. Reporter assays indicated that polyA site choice can be modulated by transcriptional activity through the gene promoter. Using global and reporter-based nuclear run-on assays, we found that RNA polymerase II is more likely to pause at the polyA site of highly expressed genes than that of lowly expressed ones. Moreover, highly expressed genes tend to have a lower level of nucleosome but higher H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 levels at promoter-proximal polyA sites relative to distal ones. Taken together, our results indicate that polyA site usage is generally coupled to transcriptional activity, leading to regulation of alternative polyadenylation by transcription.

The methyl-CpG-binding protein CIBZ suppresses myogenic differentiation by directly inhibiting myogenin expression

Postnatal growth and regeneration of skeletal muscle are carried out mainly by satellite cells, which, upon stimulation, begin to express myogenin (Myog), the critical determinant of myogenic differentiation. DNA methylation status has been associated with the expression of Myog, but the causative mechanism remains almost unknown. Here, we report that the level of CIBZ, a methyl-CpG-binding protein, decreases upon myogenic differentiation of satellite-derived C2C12 cells, and during skeletal muscle regeneration in mice. We present data showing that the loss of CIBZ promotes myogenic differentiation, whereas exogenous expression of CIBZ impairs it, in cultured cells. CIBZ binds to a Myog promoter-proximal region and inhibits Myog transcription in a methylation-dependent manner. These data suggest that the suppression of myogenic differentiation by CIBZ is dependent, at least in part, on the regulation of Myog. Our data show that the methylation status of this proximal Myog promoter inversely correlates with Myog transcription in cells and tissues, and during postnatal growth of skeletal muscle. Notably, induction of Myog transcription by CIBZ suppression is independent of the demethylation of CpG sites in the Myog promoter. These observations provide the first reported molecular mechanism illustrating how Myog transcription is coordinately regulated by a methyl-CpG-binding protein and the methylation status of the proximal Myog promoter.

Recombination activation gene-2-deficient blastocyst complementation analysis reveals an essential role for nuclear factor I-A transcription factor in T-cell activation

Nuclear factor I (NFI)-A is a member of the NFI family of transcription factors implicated in regulation of granulocyte differentiation. However, its role in the lymphoid lineage is not known. NFI-A deficiency results in perinatal lethality, thus precluding analysis of the role of NFI-A in lymphocyte development and function. Using recombination activation gene-2-deficient (RAG-2(-/-)) blastocysts and embryonic stem cells with homozygous NFI-A gene deletion, we show an essential role for NFI-A in T-cell activation. NFI-A(-/-)→RAG-2(-/-) chimeric mice had normal distributions of CD4(-)CD8(-) double negative, CD4(+)CD8(+) double positive, CD4(+)CD8(-) and CD4(-)CD8(+)-single positive cells in the thymus and CD4(+)CD8(-) and CD4(-)CD8(+) cells in spleen and lymph nodes. However, NFI-A(-/-)→RAG-2(-)(/)(-) mice had severely reduced thymus size and hypocellularity. The decrease in thymocytes and peripheral T cells in NFI-A(-/-)→RAG-2(-/-) chimeric mice is attributed to proliferative defects associated with decreased blast transformation, CD69 expression and DNA synthesis in response to T antigen receptor stimulation. Interestingly, NFI-A-null T cells showed increased levels of c-myc transcription that is inhibited in response to antigen receptor-mediated activation. These studies demonstrate for the first time a requirement for the NFI-A transcription factor in antigen receptor-induced T-cell activation events.

Gamma interferon modulates myogenesis through the major histocompatibility complex class II transactivator, CIITA

Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) is an inflammatory cytokine that has complex effects on myogenesis. Here, we show that the IFN-γ-induced inhibition of myogenesis is mediated by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II transactivator, CIITA, which binds to myogenin and inhibits its activity. In IFN-γ-treated myoblasts, the inhibition of muscle-specific genes includes the expression of myogenin itself, while in myotubes, myogenin expression is unaffected. Thus, CIITA appears to act by both repressing the expression and inhibiting the activity of myogenin at different stages of myogenesis. Stimulation by IFN-γ in skeletal muscle cells induces CIITA expression as well as MHC class II gene expression. The IFN-γ-mediated repression is reversible, with myogenesis proceeding normally upon removal of IFN-γ. Through overexpression studies, we confirm that the expression of CIITA, independent of IFN-γ, is sufficient to inhibit myogenesis. Through knockdown studies, we also demonstrate that CIITA is necessary for the IFN-γ-mediated inhibition of myogenesis. Finally, we show that CIITA, which lacks DNA binding activity, is recruited to muscle-specific promoters coincident with reductions in RNA polymerase II recruitment. Thus, this work reveals how IFN-γ modulates myogenesis and demonstrates a key role for CIITA in this process.

Teashirt-3, a novel regulator of muscle differentiation, associates with BRG1-associated factor 57 (BAF57) to inhibit myogenin gene expression

In adult muscles and under normal physiological conditions, satellite cells are found in a quiescent state but can be induced to enter the cell cycle by signals resulting from exercise, injury-induced muscle regeneration, or specific disease states. Once activated, satellite cells proliferate, self-renew, and differentiate to form myofibers. In the present study, we found that the zinc finger-containing factor Teashirt-3 (TSHZ3) was expressed in quiescent satellite cells of adult mouse skeletal muscles. We showed that following treatment with cardiotoxin TSHZ3 was strongly expressed in satellite cells of regenerating muscles. Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis indicated that TSHZ3 was expressed in both quiescent and activated satellite cells on intact myofibers in culture. TSHZ3 expression was maintained in myoblasts but disappeared with myotube formation. In C2C12 myoblasts, we showed that overexpression of Tshz3 impaired myogenic differentiation and promoted the down-regulation of myogenin (Myog) and up-regulation of paired-box factor 7 (Pax7). Moreover, knockdown experiments revealed a selective effect of Tshz3 on Myog regulation, and transcriptional reporter experiments indicated that TSHZ3 repressed Myog promoter. We identified the BRG1-associated factor 57 (BAF57), a subunit of the SWI/SNF complex, as a partner of TSHZ3. We showed that TSHZ3 cooperated with BAF57 to repress MYOD-dependent Myog expression. These results suggest a novel mechanism for transcriptional repression by TSHZ3 in which TSHZ3 and BAF57 cooperate to modulate MyoD activity on the Myog promoter to regulate skeletal muscle differentiation.

Lineage-based primary muscle fiber type diversification independent of MEF2 and NFAT in chick embryos

Differences in primary avian skeletal muscle fiber types are based on myoblast cell lineages and independent of innervation. To understand the basis for this mode of myogenesis, embryonic myoblasts specifically committed to the formation of either fast or fast/slow muscle fiber types were isolated, characterized, and examined for their capacities to transcriptionally regulate the slow myosin heavy chain 2 (MyHC2) gene. Myogenic basic helix-loop-helix protein binding sites within the slow MyHC2 promoter were mutated and did not direct fast versus fast/slow muscle fiber type development. Using promoter analyses coupled with overexpression studies and transcriptional sensors, the roles of Nuclear Factor of Activated T cells (NFATc1), and MEF2A in regulation of the slow MyHC2 gene were determined. MEF2A activated the slow MyHC2 promoter in both fast and fast/slow primary muscle fibers. In contrast, NFATc1 repressed promoter activity. These results do not support the roles of MEF2 and NFAT as direct regulators of primary muscle fiber type differences. Rather, the results reflect intrinsic differences in the modes of regulation of the slow MyHC2 gene in primary muscle fiber types.

Sodium arsenite delays the differentiation of C2C12 mouse myoblast cells and alters methylation patterns on the transcription factor myogenin

Epidemiological studies have correlated arsenic exposure with cancer, skin diseases, and adverse developmental outcomes such as spontaneous abortions, neonatal mortality, low birth weight, and delays in the use of musculature. The current study used C2C12 mouse myoblast cells to examine whether low concentrations of arsenic could alter their differentiation into myotubes, indicating that arsenic can act as a developmental toxicant. Myoblast cells were exposed to 20 nM sodium arsenite, allowed to differentiate into myotubes, and expression of the muscle-specific transcription factor myogenin, along with the expression of tropomyosin, suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (Socs3), prostaglandin I2 synthesis (Ptgis), and myocyte enhancer 2 (Mef2), was investigated using QPCR and immunofluorescence. Exposing C2C12 cells to 20 nM sodium arsenite delayed the differentiation process, as evidenced by a significant reduction in the number of multinucleated myotubes, a decrease in myogenin mRNA expression, and a decrease in the total number of nuclei expressing myogenin protein. The expression of mRNA involved in myotube formation, such as Ptgis and Mef2 mRNA, was also significantly reduced by 1.6-fold and 4-fold during differentiation. This was confirmed by immunofluorescence for Mef2, which showed a 2.6-fold reduction in nuclear translocation. Changes in methylation patterns in the promoter region of myogenin (-473 to +90) were examined by methylation-specific PCR and bisulfite genomic sequencing. Hypermethylated CpGs were found at -236 and -126 bp, whereas hypomethylated CpGs were found at -207 bp in arsenic-exposed cells. This study indicates that 20 nM sodium arsenite can alter myoblast differentiation by reducing the expression of the transcription factors myogenin and Mef2c, which is likely due to changes in promoter methylation patterns. The delay in muscle differentiation may lead to developmental abnormalities.

Promoting developmental transcription

Animal growth and development depend on the precise control of gene expression at the level of transcription. A central role in the regulation of developmental transcription is attributed to transcription factors that bind DNA enhancer elements, which are often located far from gene transcription start sites. Here, we review recent studies that have uncovered significant regulatory functions in developmental transcription for the TFIID basal transcription factors and for the DNA core promoter elements that are located close to transcription start sites.

The Notch effector Hey1 associates with myogenic target genes to repress myogenesis

Members of the Hey family of transcriptional repressors are basic helix-loop-helix proteins that are thought to act downstream of Notch in diverse tissues. Although forced expression of Hey1, a target of Notch in myoblasts, is sufficient to recapitulate inhibitory effects of the pathway on differentiation, how Hey1 interferes with myogenic transcription has not been fully elucidated. We provide multiple lines of evidence that Hey1 does not target the intrinsic transcriptional activity of the skeletal muscle master regulator MyoD. Our results indicate instead that Hey1 is recruited to the promoter regions of myogenin and Mef2C, two genes whose induction is critical for myogenesis. Expression of Hey1 in C2C12 myoblasts correlates with reduced recruitment of MyoD to these promoters, arguing that Hey1 inhibits myogenesis by associating with and repressing expression of key myogenic targets.

Ski regulates muscle terminal differentiation by transcriptional activation of Myog in a complex with Six1 and Eya3

Overexpression of the Ski pro-oncogene has been shown to induce myogenesis in non-muscle cells, to promote muscle hypertrophy in postnatal mice, and to activate transcription of muscle-specific genes. However, the precise role of Ski in muscle cell differentiation and its underlying molecular mechanism are not fully understood. To elucidate the involvement of Ski in muscle terminal differentiation, two retroviral systems were used to achieve conditional overexpression or knockdown of Ski in satellite cell-derived C2C12 myoblasts. We found that enforced expression of Ski promoted differentiation, whereas loss of Ski severely impaired it. Compromised terminal differentiation in the absence of Ski was likely because of the failure to induce myogenin (Myog) and p21 despite normal expression of MyoD. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and transcriptional reporter experiments showed that Ski occupied the endogenous Myog regulatory region and activated transcription from the Myog regulatory region upon differentiation. Transactivation of Myog was largely dependent on a MEF3 site bound by Six1, not on the binding site of MyoD or MEF2. Activation of the MEF3 site required direct interaction of Ski with Six1 and Eya3 mediated by the evolutionarily conserved Dachshund homology domain of Ski. Our results indicate that Ski is necessary for muscle terminal differentiation and that it exerts this role, at least in part, through its association with Six1 and Eya3 to regulate the Myog transcription.

MyoD targets TAF3/TRF3 to activate myogenin transcription

Skeletal muscle differentiation requires a cascade of transcriptional events to control the spatial and temporal expression of muscle-specific genes. Until recently, muscle-specific transcription was primarily attributed to prototypic enhancer-binding factors, while the role of core promoter recognition complexes in directing myogenesis remained unknown. Here, we report the development of a purified reconstituted system to analyze the properties of a TAF3/TRF3 complex in directing transcription initiation at the Myogenin promoter. Importantly, this new complex is required to replace the canonical TFIID to recapitulate MyoD-dependent activation of Myogenin. In vitro and cell-based assays identify a domain of TAF3 that mediates coactivator functions targeted by MyoD. Our findings also suggest changes to CRSP/Mediator in terminally differentiated myotubes. This switching of the core promoter recognition complex during myogenesis allows a more balanced division of labor between activators and TAF coactivators, thus providing another strategy to accommodate cell-specific regulation during metazoan development.

JAK2/STAT2/STAT3 are required for myogenic differentiation

Skeletal muscle satellite cell-derived myoblasts are mainly responsible for postnatal muscle growth and injury-induced regeneration. However, the cellular signaling pathways that control proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts remain poorly defined. Recently, we found that JAK1/STAT1/STAT3 not only participate in myoblast proliferation but also actively prevent them from premature differentiation. Unexpectedly, we found that a related pathway consisting of JAK2, STAT2, and STAT3 is required for early myogenic differentiation. Interference of this pathway by either a small molecule inhibitor or small interfering RNA inhibits myogenic differentiation. Consistently, all three molecules are activated upon differentiation. The pro-differentiation effect of JAK2/STAT2/STAT3 is partially mediated by MyoD and MEF2. Interestingly, the expression of the IGF2 gene and the HGF gene is also regulated by JAK2/STAT2/STAT3, suggesting that this pathway could also promote differentiation by regulating signaling molecules known to be involved in myogenic differentiation. In summary, our current study reveals a novel role for the JAK2/STAT2/STAT3 pathway in myogenic differentiation.

A highly conserved molecular switch binds MSY-3 to regulate myogenin repression in postnatal muscle

Myogenin is the dominant transcriptional regulator of embryonic and fetal muscle differentiation and during maturation is profoundly down-regulated. We show that a highly conserved 17-bp DNA cis-acting sequence element located upstream of the myogenin promoter (myogHCE) is essential for postnatal repression of myogenin in transgenic animals. We present multiple lines of evidence supporting the idea that repression is mediated by the Y-box protein MSY-3. Electroporation in vivo shows that myogHCE and MSY-3 are required for postnatal repression. We further show that, in the C2C12 cell culture system, ectopic MSY-3 can repress differentiation, while reduced MSY-3 promotes premature differentiation. MSY-3 binds myogHCE simultaneously with the homeodomain protein Pbx in postnatal innervated muscle. We therefore propose a model in which the myogHCE motif operates as a switch by specifying opposing functions; one that was shown previously is regulated by MyoD and Pbx and it specifies a chromatin opening, gene-activating function at the time myoblasts begin to differentiate; the other includes MYS-3 and Pbx, and it specifies a repression function that operates during and after postnatal muscle maturation in vivo and in myoblasts before they begin to differentiate.

Cooperative synergy between NFAT and MyoD regulates myogenin expression and myogenesis

Calcineurin/NFAT signaling is involved in multiple aspects of skeletal muscle development and disease. The myogenic basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, MyoD, myogenin, Myf5, and MRF4 specify the myogenic lineage. Here we show that calcineurin/NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) signaling is required for primary myogenesis by transcriptional cooperation with the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor MyoD. Calcineurin/NFAT signaling is involved in myogenin expression in differentiating myoblasts, where the myogenic regulatory factor MyoD synergistically cooperates with NFATc2/c3 at the myogenin promoter. Using gel shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we identified two conserved NFAT binding sites in the myogenin promoter that were occupied by NFATc3 upon skeletal muscle differentiation. The transcriptional integration between NFATc3 and MyoD is crucial for primary myogenesis in vivo, as myogenin expression is weak in myod:nfatc3 double null embryos, whereas myogenin expression is unaffected in embryos with null mutations for either factor alone. Thus, the combined findings provide a novel transcriptional paradigm for the first steps of myogenesis, where a calcineurin/NFATc3 pathway regulates myogenin induction in cooperation with MyoD during myogenesis.

Necdin mediates skeletal muscle regeneration by promoting myoblast survival and differentiation

Regeneration of muscle fibers that are lost during pathological muscle degeneration or after injuries is sustained by the production of new myofibers. An important cell type involved in muscle regeneration is the satellite cell. Necdin is a protein expressed in satellite cell–derived myogenic precursors during perinatal growth. However, its function in myogenesis is not known. We compare transgenic mice that overexpress necdin in skeletal muscle with both wild-type and necdin null mice. After muscle injury the necdin null mice show a considerable defect in muscle healing, whereas mice that overexpress necdin show a substantial increase in myofiber regeneration. We also find that in muscle, necdin increases myogenin expression, accelerates differentiation, and counteracts myoblast apoptosis. Collectively, these data clarify the function and mechanism of necdin in skeletal muscle and show the importance of necdin in muscle regeneration.

p38 MAPK signaling regulates recruitment of Ash2L-containing methyltransferase complexes to specific genes during differentiation

Cell-specific patterns of gene expression are established through the antagonistic functions of trithorax group (TrxG) and Polycomb group (PcG) proteins. Several muscle-specific genes have previously been shown to be epigenetically marked for repression by PcG proteins in muscle progenitor cells. Here we demonstrate that these developmentally regulated genes become epigenetically marked for gene expression (trimethylated on histone H3 Lys4, H3K4me3) during muscle differentiation through specific recruitment of Ash2L-containing methyltransferase complexes. Targeting of Ash2L to specific genes is mediated by the transcriptional regulator Mef2d. Furthermore, this interaction is modulated during differentiation through activation of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway via phosphorylation of Mef2d. Thus, we provide evidence that signaling pathways regulate the targeting of TrxG-mediated epigenetic modifications at specific promoters during cellular differentiation.

Myocardin is a bifunctional switch for smooth versus skeletal muscle differentiation

Skeletal and smooth muscle can mutually transdifferentiate, but little molecular insight exists as to how each muscle program may be subverted to the other. The myogenic basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors MyoD and myogenin (Myog) direct the development of skeletal muscle and are thought to be dominant over the program of smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation. Myocardin (Myocd) is a serum response factor (SRF) coactivator that promotes SMC differentiation through transcriptional stimulation of SRF-dependent smooth muscle genes. Here we show by lineage-tracing studies that Myocd is expressed transiently in skeletal muscle progenitor cells of the somite, and a majority of skeletal muscle is derived from Myocd-expressing cell lineages. However, rather than activating skeletal muscle-specific gene expression, Myocd functions as a transcriptional repressor of Myog, inhibiting skeletal muscle differentiation while activating SMC-specific genes. This repressor function of Myocd is complex, involving histone deacetylase 5 silencing of the Myog promoter and Myocd's physical contact with MyoD, which undermines MyoD DNA binding and transcriptional synergy with MEF2. These results reveal a previously unrecognized role for Myocd in repressing the skeletal muscle differentiation program and suggest that this transcriptional coregulator acts as a bifunctional molecular switch for the smooth versus skeletal muscle phenotypes.

Regulation of skeletal muscle sarcomere integrity and postnatal muscle function by Mef2c

Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) transcription factors cooperate with the MyoD family of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors to drive skeletal muscle development during embryogenesis, but little is known about the potential functions of MEF2 factors in postnatal skeletal muscle. Here we show that skeletal muscle-specific deletion of Mef2c in mice results in disorganized myofibers and perinatal lethality. In contrast, neither Mef2a nor Mef2d is required for normal skeletal muscle development in vivo. Skeletal muscle deficient in Mef2c differentiates and forms normal myofibers during embryogenesis, but myofibers rapidly deteriorate after birth due to disorganized sarcomeres and a loss of integrity of the M line. Microarray analysis of Mef2c null muscles identified several muscle structural genes that depend on MEF2C, including those encoding the M-line-specific proteins myomesin and M protein. We show that MEF2C directly regulates myomesin gene transcription and that loss of Mef2c in skeletal muscle results in improper sarcomere organization. These results reveal a key role for Mef2c in maintenance of sarcomere integrity and postnatal maturation of skeletal muscle.

Determinants of myogenic specificity within MyoD are required for noncanonical E box binding

The MyoD family of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors has the remarkable ability to induce myogenesis in vitro and in vivo. This myogenic specificity has been mapped to two amino acids in the basic domain, an alanine and threonine, referred to as the myogenic code. These essential determinants of myogenic specificity are conserved in all MyoD family members from worms to humans, yet their function in myogenesis is unclear. Induction of the muscle transcriptional program requires that MyoD be able to locate and stably bind to sequences present in the promoter regions of critical muscle genes. Recent studies have shown that MyoD binds to noncanonical E boxes in the myogenin gene, a critical locus required for myogenesis, through interactions with resident heterodimers of the HOX-TALE transcription factors Pbx1A and Meis1. In the present study, we show that the myogenic code is required for MyoD to bind to noncanonical E boxes in the myogenin promoter and for the formation of a tetrameric complex with Pbx/Meis. We also show that these essential determinants of myogenesis are sufficient to confer noncanonical E box binding to the E12 basic domain. Thus, these data show that noncanonical E box binding correlates with myogenic potential, and we speculate that the myogenic code residues in MyoD function as myogenic determinants via their role in noncanonical E box binding and recognition.

Identification of a new hybrid serum response factor and myocyte enhancer factor 2-binding element in MyoD enhancer required for MyoD expression during myogenesis

MyoD is a critical myogenic factor induced rapidly upon activation of quiescent satellite cells, and required for their differentiation during muscle regeneration. One of the two enhancers of MyoD, the distal regulatory region, is essential for MyoD expression in postnatal muscle. This enhancer contains a functional divergent serum response factor (SRF)-binding CArG element required for MyoD expression during myoblast growth and muscle regeneration in vivo. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and microinjection analyses show this element is a hybrid SRF- and MEF2 Binding (SMB) sequence where myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) complexes can compete out binding of SRF at the onset of differentiation. As cells differentiate into postmitotic myotubes, MyoD expression no longer requires SRF but instead MEF2 binding to this dual-specificity element. As such, the MyoD enhancer SMB element is the site for a molecular relay where MyoD expression is first initiated in activated satellite cells in an SRF-dependent manner and then increased and maintained by MEF2 binding in differentiated myotubes. Therefore, SMB is a DNA element with dual and stage-specific binding activity, which modulates the effects of regulatory proteins critical in controlling the balance between proliferation and differentiation.

Identifying pattern-defined regulatory islands in mammalian genomes

Identifying cis-regulatory regions in mammalian genomes is a key challenge toward understanding transcriptional regulation. However, identification and functional characterization of those regulatory elements governing differential gene expression has been hampered by the limited understanding of their organization and locations in genomes. We hypothesized that genes that are conserved across species will also display conservation at the level of their transcriptional regulation and that this will be reflected in the organization of cis-elements mediating this regulation. Using a computational approach, clusters of transcription factor binding sites that are absolutely conserved in order and in spacing across human, rat, and mouse genomes were identified. We term these regions pattern-defined regulatory islands (PRIs). We discovered that these sequences are frequently active sites of transcriptional regulation. These PRIs occur in approximately 1.1% of the half-billion base pairs covered in the search and are located mainly in noncoding regions of the genome. We show that the premise of PRIs can be used to identify previously known and novel cis-regulatory regions controlling genes regulated by myogenic differentiation. Thus, PRIs may represent a fundamental property of the architecture of cis-regulatory elements in mammalian genomes, and this feature can be exploited to pinpoint critical transcriptional regulatory elements governing cell type-specific gene expression.

Regulation of HDAC9 gene expression by MEF2 establishes a negative-feedback loop in the transcriptional circuitry of muscle differentiation

Skeletal muscle development is controlled by the myocyte enhancer factor (MEF2) and myogenic basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) families of transcription factors, which associate and synergistically activate muscle gene expression. Muscle differentiation is further reinforced by positive-feedback loops in which myogenic bHLH proteins activate their own expression and the expression of MEF2, while MEF2 stimulates expression of myogenic bHLH genes and the Mef2c gene. Here we describe a myogenic negative-feedback loop that consists of MEF2 proteins and the transcriptional repressor histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9). We show that the HDAC9 gene is a direct transcriptional target of MEF2 in vitro and in vivo. HDAC9 can associate with MEF2 proteins and suppress their transcriptional activity. The transcriptional repressor HDAC9 thus forms a negative-feedback loop in the transcriptional circuitry of muscle differentiation.