Open AccessFHL1 activates myostatin signalling in skeletal muscle and promotes atrophy
Author(s) -
Lee Jen Y.,
Lori Dede,
Wells Dominic J.,
Kemp Paul R.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
febs open bio
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.718
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 2211-5463
DOI - 10.1016/j.fob.2015.08.011
Subject(s) - myostatin , growth differentiation factor , smad , endocrinology , wasting , skeletal muscle , medicine , biology , muscle hypertrophy , transforming growth factor , bone morphogenetic protein , genetics , gene
Myostatin is a TGFβ family ligand that reduces muscle mass. In cancer cells, TGFβ signalling is increased by the protein FHL1. Consequently, FHL1 may promote signalling by myostatin. We therefore tested the ability of FHL1 to regulate myostatin function. FHL1 increased the myostatin activity on a SMAD reporter and increased myostatin dependent myotube wasting. In mice, independent expression of myostatin reduced fibre diameter whereas FHL1 increased fibre diameter, both consistent with previously identified effects of these proteins. However, co‐expression of FHL1 and myostatin reduced fibre diameter to a greater extent than myostatin alone. Together, these data suggest that the expression of FHL1 may exacerbate muscle wasting under the appropriate conditions.