scholarly journals Cheap labor: myosin fiber type expression and enzyme activity in the forelimb musculature of sloths (Pilosa: Xenarthra)

2018 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 799-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle B. Spainhower ◽  
Rebecca N. Cliffe ◽  
Allan K. Metz ◽  
Ernest M. Barkett ◽  
Paije M. Kiraly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Myosin Heavy Chain ◽  
Heavy Chain ◽  
Citrate Synthase ◽  
Fiber Type ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Joint Torque ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Large Joint ◽  
Forelimb Muscles

Sloths are canopy-dwelling inhabitants of American neotropical rainforests that exhibit suspensory behaviors. These abilities require both strength and muscular endurance to hang for extended periods of time; however, the skeletal muscle mass of sloths is reduced, thus requiring modifications to muscle architecture and leverage for large joint torque. We hypothesize that intrinsic muscle properties are also modified for fatigue resistance and predict a heterogeneous expression of slow/fast myosin heavy chain (MHC) fibers that utilize oxidative metabolic pathways for economic force production. MHC fiber type distribution and energy metabolism in the forelimb muscles of three-toed ( Bradypus variegatus, n = 5) and two-toed ( Choloepus hoffmanni, n = 4) sloths were evaluated using SDS-PAGE, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme activity assays. The results partially support our hypothesis by a primary expression of the slow MHC-1 isoform as well as moderate expression of fast MHC-2A fibers, whereas few hybrid MHC-1/2A fibers were found in both species. MHC-1 fibers were larger in cross-sectional area (CSA) than MHC-2A fibers and comprised the greatest percentage of CSA in each muscle sampled. Enzyme assays showed elevated activity for the anaerobic enzymes creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase compared with low activity for aerobic markers citrate synthase and 3-hydroxyacetyl CoA dehydrogenase. These findings suggest that sloth forelimb muscles may rely heavily on rapid ATP resynthesis pathways, and lactate accumulation may be beneficial. The intrinsic properties observed match well with suspensory requirements, and these modifications may have further evolved in unison with low metabolism and slow movement patterns as means to systemically conserve energy. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Myosin heavy chain (MHC) fiber type and fiber metabolic properties were evaluated to understand the ability of sloths to remain suspended for extended periods without muscle fatigue. Broad distributions of large, slow MHC-1 fibers as well as small, fast MHC-2A fibers are expressed in sloth forelimbs, but muscle metabolism is generally not correlated with myosin fiber type or body size. Sloth muscles rely on rapid, anaerobic pathways to resist fatigue and sustain force production.

scholarly journals ProNGF/p75NTR Axis Drives Fiber Type Specification by Inducing the Fast-Glycolytic Phenotype in Mouse Skeletal Muscle Cells

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 2232
Author(s):  
Valentina Pallottini ◽  
Mayra Colardo ◽  
Claudia Tonini ◽  
Noemi Martella ◽  
Georgios Strimpakos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Myosin Heavy Chain ◽  
Heavy Chain ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Fiber Type ◽  
Pcr Analysis ◽  
Mdx Mouse ◽  
Mdx Mice ◽  
Muscle Physiology

Despite its undisputable role in the homeostatic regulation of the nervous system, the nerve growth factor (NGF) also governs the relevant cellular processes in other tissues and organs. In this study, we aimed at assessing the expression and the putative involvement of NGF signaling in skeletal muscle physiology. To reach this objective, we employed satellite cell-derived myoblasts as an in vitro culture model. In vivo experiments were performed on Tibialis anterior from wild-type mice and an mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Targets of interest were mainly assessed by means of morphological, Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis. The results show that proNGF is involved in myogenic differentiation. Importantly, the proNGF/p75NTR pathway orchestrates a slow-to-fast fiber type transition by counteracting the expression of slow myosin heavy chain and that of oxidative markers. Concurrently, proNGF/p75NTR activation facilitates the induction of fast myosin heavy chain and of fast/glycolytic markers. Furthermore, we also provided evidence that the oxidative metabolism is impaired in mdx mice, and that these alterations are paralleled by a prominent buildup of proNGF and p75NTR. These findings underline that the proNGF/p75NTR pathway may play a crucial role in fiber type determination and suggest its prospective modulation as an innovative therapeutic approach to counteract muscle disorders.

Enzymatic plasticity of medial gastrocnemius fibers in the adult chronic spinal cat

1990 ◽  
Vol 259 (3) ◽  
pp. C507-C514 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Jiang ◽  
R. R. Roy ◽  
V. R. Edgerton
Keyword(s):  
Myosin Heavy Chain ◽  
Heavy Chain ◽  
Fiber Type ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Glycolytic Enzyme ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Fiber Types ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Fast Myosin ◽  
Weight Support

The metabolic plasticity of single fibers in adult cat medial gastrocnemius (MG) 6 mo after complete spinal cord transection (Sp) at T12-T13 was studied. Some Sp cats were trained to weight support (Sp-WS) 30 min/day beginning 1 mo posttransection. Cross-sectional area, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (GPD), and myofibrillar adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) activities were determined in fibers identified in frozen serial sections. Fibers were categorized as light or dark based on myosin ATPase staining, alkaline preincubation. The percentage of dark ATPase fibers was higher in Sp and Sp-WS (approximately 85%) than in control (approximately 60%). All dark ATPase fibers reacted positively to a fast myosin heavy chain monoclonal antibody. In both spinal groups, a higher percentage of dark ATPase fibers reacted to both fast and slow myosin heavy chain antibodies than in controls. Neither Sp nor Sp-WS cats showed fiber atrophy. Compared with control, SDH activity was decreased in both fiber types of Sp cats. Daily weight-support training ameliorated this adaptation. There were no differences among the three groups in mean GPD and ATPase activities for either fiber type. There was a slight tendency, however, for spinal cats to have higher GPD and ATPase activities (independent of type) than control, probably reflecting the larger proportion of dark ATPase fibers in these cats. These observations indicate that 6 mo after spinalization in adult cats, some of the fibers of a fast muscle became "faster" and developed oxidative and glycolytic enzyme profiles that normally are exhibited in fast fatigable motor units.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Muscle-specific and inducible expression of 293-base pair beta-myosin heavy chain promoter in transgenic mice

1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (3) ◽  
pp. R688-R695 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Wiedenman ◽  
G. L. Tsika ◽  
L. Gao ◽  
J. J. McCarthy ◽  
I. D. Rivera-Rivera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Myosin Heavy Chain ◽  
Heavy Chain ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Fiber Type ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Histochemical Staining ◽  
Regulatory Sequences ◽  
Type I ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
Mechanical Overload

The DNA regulatory element(s) involved in beta-myosin heavy chain (beta-MHC) induction by the physiological stimulus of mechanical overload have not been identified as yet. To delineate regulatory sequences that are required for mechanical overload induction of the beta-MHC gene, transgenic mouse lines were generated that harbor transgenes containing serial deletions of the human beta-MHC promoter to nucleotides -293 (beta 293), -201 (beta 201), and -141 (beta 141) from the transcription start site (+1). Mechanically overloaded adult plantaris and soleus muscles contained 11- and 1.9-fold increases, respectively, in endogenous beta-MHC-specific mRNA transcripts (Northern blot) compared with sham-operated controls. Expression assays (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase specific activity) revealed that only transgene beta 293 expression was muscle specific in both fetal and adult mice and was induced in the plantaris (10- to 27-fold) and soleus (2- to 2.5-fold) muscles by mechanical overload. Histochemical staining for myosin adenosinetriphosphatase activity revealed a fiber-type transition of type II to type I in the overloaded plantaris and soleus muscles. These transgenic data suggest that sequences located between nucleotides -293 and +120 may be sufficient to regulate the endogenous beta-MHC gene in response to developmental signals and to the physiological signals generated by mechanical overload in fast- and slow-twitch muscles.

scholarly journals Decreased specific force and power production of muscle fibers from myostatin-deficient mice are associated with a suppression of protein degradation

2011 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher L. Mendias ◽  
Erdan Kayupov ◽  
Joshua R. Bradley ◽  
Susan V. Brooks ◽  
Dennis R. Claflin
Keyword(s):  
Myosin Heavy Chain ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Heavy Chain ◽  
Extensor Digitorum Longus ◽  
Isometric Force ◽  
Muscle Fibers ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Sectional Area ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Maximum Isometric Force

Myostatin ( MSTN) is a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily of cytokines and is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass. Compared with MSTN+/+ mice, the extensor digitorum longus muscles of MSTN−/− mice exhibit hypertrophy, hyperplasia, and greater maximum isometric force production (Fo), but decreased specific maximum isometric force (sFo; Fo normalized by muscle cross-sectional area). The reason for the reduction in sFo was not known. Studies in myotubes indicate that inhibiting myostatin may increase muscle mass by decreasing the expression of the E3 ubiquitin ligase atrogin-1, which could impact the force-generating capacity and size of muscle fibers. To gain a greater understanding of the influence of myostatin on muscle contractility, we determined the impact of myostatin deficiency on the contractility of permeabilized muscle fibers and on the levels of atrogin-1 and ubiquitinated myosin heavy chain in whole muscle. We hypothesized that single fibers from MSTN−/− mice have a greater Fo, but no difference in sFo, and a decrease in atrogin-1 and ubiquitin-tagged myosin heavy chain levels. The results indicated that fibers from MSTN−/− mice have a greater cross-sectional area, but do not have a greater Fo and have a sFo that is significantly lower than fibers from MSTN+/+ mice. The extensor digitorum longus muscles from MSTN−/− mice also have reduced levels of atrogin-1 and ubiquitinated myosin heavy chain. These findings suggest that myostatin inhibition in otherwise healthy muscle increases the size of muscle fibers and decreases atrogin-1 levels, but does not increase the force production of individual muscle fibers.

scholarly journals Calcineurin plays a modulatory role in loading-induced regulation of type I myosin heavy chain gene expression in slow skeletal muscle

2009 ◽  
Vol 297 (4) ◽  
pp. R1037-R1048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clay E. Pandorf ◽  
Weihua H. Jiang ◽  
Anqi X. Qin ◽  
Paul W. Bodell ◽  
Kenneth M. Baldwin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Myosin Heavy Chain ◽  
Heavy Chain ◽  
Fiber Type ◽  
Hindlimb Suspension ◽  
Chain Gene ◽  
Type I ◽  
Thyroid State

The role of calcineurin (Cn) in skeletal muscle fiber-type expression has been a subject of great interest because of reports indicating that it controls the slow muscle phenotype. To delineate the role of Cn in phenotype remodeling, particularly its role in driving expression of the type I myosin heavy chain (MHC) gene, we used a novel strategy whereby a profound transition from fast to slow fiber type is induced and examined in the absence and presence of cyclosporin A (CsA), a Cn inhibitor. To induce the fast-to-slow transition, we first subjected rats to 7 days of hindlimb suspension (HS) + thyroid hormone [triiodothyronine (T3)] to suppress nearly all expression of type I MHC mRNA in the soleus muscle. HS + T3 was then withdrawn, and rats resumed normal ambulation and thyroid state, during which vehicle or CsA (30 mg·kg−1·day−1) was administered for 7 or 14 days. The findings demonstrate that, despite significant inhibition of Cn, pre-mRNA, mRNA, and protein abundance of type I MHC increased markedly during reloading relative to HS + T3 ( P < 0.05). Type I MHC expression was, however, attenuated by CsA compared with vehicle treatment. In addition, type IIa and IIx MHC pre-mRNA, mRNA, and relative protein levels were increased in Cn-treated compared with vehicle-treated rats. These findings indicate that Cn has a modulatory role in MHC transcription, rather than a role as a primary regulator of slow MHC gene expression.

scholarly journals Differential epigenetic modifications of histones at the myosin heavy chain genes in fast and slow skeletal muscle fibers and in response to muscle unloading

2009 ◽  
Vol 297 (1) ◽  
pp. C6-C16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clay E. Pandorf ◽  
Fadia Haddad ◽  
Carola Wright ◽  
Paul W. Bodell ◽  
Kenneth M. Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Myosin Heavy Chain ◽  
Histone Modifications ◽  
Heavy Chain ◽  
Fiber Type ◽  
Histone H3 ◽  
Mhc Genes ◽  
Slow Fiber ◽  
Muscle Unloading

Recent advances in chromatin biology have enhanced our understanding of gene regulation. It is now widely appreciated that gene regulation is dependent upon post-translational modifications to the histones which package genes in the nucleus of cells. Active genes are known to be associated with acetylation of histones (H3ac) and trimethylation of lysine 4 in histone H3 (H3K4me3). Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), we examined histone modifications at the myosin heavy chain (MHC) genes expressed in fast vs. slow fiber-type skeletal muscle, and in a model of muscle unloading, which results in a shift to fast MHC gene expression in slow muscles. Both H3ac and H3K4me3 varied directly with the transcriptional activity of the MHC genes in fast fiber-type plantaris and slow fiber-type soleus. During MHC transitions with muscle unloading, histone H3 at the type I MHC becomes de-acetylated in correspondence with down-regulation of that gene, while upregulation of the fast type IIx and IIb MHCs occurs in conjunction with enhanced H3ac in those MHCs. Enrichment of H3K4me3 is also increased at the type IIx and IIb MHCs when these genes are induced with muscle unloading. Downregulation of IIa MHC, however, was not associated with corresponding loss of H3ac or H3K4me3. These observations demonstrate the feasibility of using the ChIP assay to understand the native chromatin environment in adult skeletal muscle, and also suggest that the transcriptional state of types I, IIx and IIb MHC genes are sensitive to histone modifications both in different muscle fiber-types and in response to altered loading states.

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