Experimental hyperthyroidism in rats increases the expression of the ubiquitin ligases atrogin-1 and MuRF1 and stimulates multiple proteolytic pathways in skeletal muscle

2,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl attenuated fast-twitch fibers and fiber size of skeletal muscle via disturbing thyroid hormone signaling and mitochondrial dynamics

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) affect multiple organs, and some of the effects are mediated by interfering with thyroid hormone (TH) signaling that regulates physiological processes in mammals. It remains unclear how PCBs affect skeletal muscle (SM). In our study, wistar rats were injected 2,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB118) intraperitoneally at 0, 10, 100, and 1,000 μg / kg / day for 13 weeks and C2C12 myoblasts were treated PCB118 (0, 0.25, 25, and 50 nM) for 24 hours or 48 hours. We found that myocyte cross sectional area (MCSA) was reduced, MyHC IIa and MyHC IIb mRNA levels significantly decreased, and muscle strength was weakened in PCB118-exposed rats. TH receptor α (TRα) and iodothyronine deiodinase type 2 (DIO2) were upregulated after PCB118 exposure both in vivo and vitro. Transmission electron microscopy showed significant mitochondrial abnormalities in PCB118-treated rats, and the expression of mitochondrial regulators such as PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and GTPase dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) were altered after PCB118 exposure. These results suggest that PCB118 could weaken muscle strength and attenuate fast-twitch fibers and fiber size of SM in rats. TH signaling, mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy were also disturbed by PCB118, which may contribute to the alternations of SM structure and function.

Thyroid Hormone Action in Muscle Atrophy

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a condition associated with various physiological and pathophysiological conditions, such as denervation, cachexia, and fasting. It is characterized by an altered protein turnover in which the rate of protein degradation exceeds the rate of protein synthesis, leading to substantial muscle mass loss and weakness. Muscle protein breakdown reflects the activation of multiple proteolytic mechanisms, including lysosomal degradation, apoptosis, and ubiquitin-proteasome. Thyroid hormone (TH) plays a key role in these conditions. Indeed, skeletal muscle is among the principal TH target tissue, where TH regulates proliferation, metabolism, differentiation, homeostasis, and growth. In physiological conditions, TH stimulates both protein synthesis and degradation, and an alteration in TH levels is often responsible for a specific myopathy. Intracellular TH concentrations are modulated in skeletal muscle by a family of enzymes named deiodinases; in particular, in muscle, deiodinases type 2 (D2) and type 3 (D3) are both present. D2 activates the prohormone T4 into the active form triiodothyronine (T3), whereas D3 inactivates both T4 and T3 by the removal of an inner ring iodine. Here we will review the present knowledge of TH action in skeletal muscle atrophy, in particular, on the molecular mechanisms presiding over the control of intracellular T3 concentration in wasting muscle conditions. Finally, we will discuss the possibility of exploiting the modulation of deiodinases as a possible therapeutic approach to treat muscle atrophy.

Effect of Quercetin on Dexamethasone-Induced C2C12 Skeletal Muscle Cell Injury

Glucocorticoids are widely used anti-inflammatory drugs in clinical settings. However, they can induce skeletal muscle atrophy by reducing fiber cross-sectional area and myofibrillar protein content. Studies have proven that antioxidants can improve glucocorticoid-induced skeletal muscle atrophy. Quercetin is a potent antioxidant flavonoid widely distributed in fruits and vegetables and has shown protective effects against dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle atrophy. In this study, we demonstrated that dexamethasone significantly inhibited cell growth and induced cell apoptosis by stimulating hydroxyl free radical production in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Our results evidenced that quercetin increased C2C12 skeletal cell viability and exerted antiapoptotic effects on dexamethasone-treated C2C12 cells by regulating mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and reducing oxidative species. Quercetin can protect against dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy by regulating the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio at the protein level and abnormal ΔΨm, which leads to the suppression of apoptosis.

Thyroid hormone upregulates MDM2 in rat type I fibre: Implications for skeletal muscle mass regulation

AIM

Based upon a microarray assay, we have identified that triiodothyronine (T3) upregulates MDM2 gene expression in the rat skeletal muscle. As MDM2 protein is an E3 ligase, we hypothesized that this enzyme could play a role in T3 effects on skeletal muscle mass control.

METHODS

To test our hypothesis, male rats (2 months old) were randomly assigned into the following groups: intact controls, treated with 20 physiological doses of T3 for 0.5, 1 and 7 days, or with 5, 20 and 50 physiological doses of T3 for 7 days. For in vitro experiments, myotubes and C2C12 cells were treated with T3 for 3 days.

RESULTS

After validation of the microarray finding throughout RT-PCR and confirmation that T3 induces increases in MDM2 protein expression in a dose-dependent manner, we observed that MDM2 was upregulated by T3 exclusively in fibre type I. Moreover, detailed histological evaluation showed that MDM2 overexpression distributes punctiformily along the cross section of the fibre and also inside nuclei. MDM2 colocalizes with PAX7 in control muscle and T3 downregulates this myogenic factor. Pharmacological inhibition of MDM2 in cultured myotubes caused a severe decrease in their diameter (~35%, P < .001 vs Control), enhancing the effect of T3 (from ~12% to ~35%, P < .001) alone upon myotube diameter and mRNA levels of atrogenes. Finally, we observed that FOXO3 (MDM2 target) is kept outside the nucleus under T3 stimulation.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that MDM2 might be involved in the pro-trophic effects of T3 in skeletal muscle.

Excess maternal and postnatal thyroxine alters chondrocyte numbers and the composition of the extracellular matrix of growth cartilage in rats

Purpose/Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of excess maternal and postnatal thyroxine on chondrocytes and the extracellular matrix (ECM) of growth cartilage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used 16 adult female Wistar rats divided into two groups: thyroxine treatment and control. From weaning to 40 days of age, offspring of the treated group (n = 8) received L-thyroxine. Plasma free T4 was measured. Histomorphometric analysis was performed on thyroids and femurs of all offspring. Alcian blue histochemical staining and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction measurements of gene expression levels of Sox9, Runx2, Aggrecan, Col I, Col II, Alkaline phosphatase, Mmp2, Mmp9, and Bmp2 were performed. Data were analyzed for statistical significance by student's t-test.

RESULTS

Excess maternal and postnatal thyroxine reduced the intensity of Alcian blue staining, altered the number of chondrocytes in proliferative and hypertrophic zones in growth cartilage, and reduced the gene expression of Sox9, Mmp2, Mmp9, Col II, and Bmp2 in the growth cartilage of all offspring. Additionally, excess thyroxine altered the gene expression of Runx2, Aggrecan and Col I, and this effect was dependent on age.

CONCLUSIONS

Excess thyroxine in neonates suppresses chondrocyte proliferation, stimulates chondrocyte hypertrophy and changes the ECM composition by reducing the amount of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Prolonged exposure to excess thyroxine suppresses chondrocyte activity in general, with a severe reduction in the proteoglycan content of cartilage and the expression of gene transcripts essential for endochondral growth and characteristics of the chondrocyte phenotype.

Isoflavin-β modifies muscle oxidative stress and prevents a thyrotoxicosis-induced loss of muscle mass in rats

INTRODUCTION

We sought to verify whether isoflavin-beta (Iso-β), a mixture of isoflavones with antioxidant properties, could prevent thyrotoxicosis-induced loss of muscle mass and the participation of oxidative stress (OS) in the mechanisms of this prevention.

METHODS

Two experimental periods of thyrotoxicosis induction were used in Wistar rats: 3 and 5 days to assess Iso-β effects before and after thyrotoxicosis-induced muscle wasting. After euthanasia, peritoneal fat and gastrocnemius muscle were collected, weighed, and muscle OS was assessed.

RESULTS

Iso-β prevented the loss of gastrocnemius mass in thyrotoxic rats through the prevention of muscle OS generation during thyrotoxicosis, increasing muscle total antioxidant capacity and decreasing mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase activity, lipid peroxidation, and protein carbonyl content.

CONCLUSION

Iso-β decreased oxidative modification of proteins, which is known to exert a major role during proteolysis induction and is present in thyrotoxic myopathy, highlighting the potential action of Iso-β in this complication of the disease. Muscle Nerve 56: 975-981, 2017.

Sobetirome prodrug esters with enhanced blood-brain barrier permeability

There is currently great interest in developing drugs that stimulate myelin repair for use in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Thyroid hormone plays a key role in stimulating myelination during development and also controls the expression of important genes involved in myelin repair in adults. Because endogenous thyroid hormone in excess lacks a generally useful therapeutic index, it is not used clinically for indications other than hormone replacement; however, selective thyromimetics such as sobetirome offer a therapeutic alternative. Sobetirome is the only clinical-stage thyromimetic that is known to cross the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) and we endeavored to increase the BBB permeability of sobetirome using a prodrug strategy. Ester prodrugs of sobetirome were prepared based on literature reports of improved BBB permeability with other carboxylic acid containing drugs and BBB permeability was assessed in vivo. One sobetirome prodrug, ethanolamine ester 11, was found to distribute more sobetirome to the brain compared to an equimolar peripheral dose of unmodified sobetirome. In addition to enhanced brain levels, prodrug 11 displayed lower sobetirome blood levels and a brain/serum ratio that was larger than that of unmodified sobetirome. Thus, these data indicate that an ester prodrug strategy applied to sobetirome can deliver increased concentrations of the active drug to the central nervous system (CNS), which may prove useful in the treatment of CNS disorders.

UPS Activation in the Battle Against Aging and Aggregation-Related Diseases: An Extended Review

Aging is a biological process accompanied by gradual increase of damage in all cellular macromolecules, i.e., nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins. When the proteostasis network (chaperones and proteolytic systems) cannot reverse the damage load due to its excess as compared to cellular repair/regeneration capacity, failure of homeostasis is established. This failure is a major hallmark of aging and/or aggregation-related diseases. Dysfunction of the major cellular proteolytic machineries, namely the proteasome and the lysosome, has been reported during the progression of aging and aggregation-prone diseases. Therefore, activation of these pathways is considered as a possible preventive or therapeutic approach against the progression of these processes. This chapter focuses on UPS activation studies in cellular and organismal models and the effects of such activation on aging, longevity and disease prevention or reversal.

Reactive oxygen species play a role in muscle wasting during thyrotoxicosis

The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in muscle protein hydrolysis and protein oxidation in thyrotoxicosis has not been explored. This study indicates that ROS play a role in skeletal muscle wasting pathways in thyrotoxicosis. Two experimental groups (rats) were treated for 5 days with either 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (HT) or HT with α-tocopherol (HT + αT). Two controls were used, vehicle (Control) and control treated with αT (Control + αT). Serum T3, peritoneal fat, serum glycerol, muscle and body weight, temperature, mitochondrial metabolism (cytochrome c oxidase activity), oxidative stress parameters and proteolytic activities were examined. High body temperature induced by HT returned to normal when animals were treated with αT, although total body and muscle weight did not. An increase in lipolysis was observed in the HT + αT group, as peritoneal fat decreased significantly together with an increase in serum glycerol. GSH, GSSG and total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP) decreased and catalase activity increased in the HT group. The glutathione redox ratio was higher in HT + αT than in both HT and Control + αT groups. Carbonyl proteins, AOPP, mitochondrial and chymotrypsin-like proteolytic activities were higher in the HT group than in the Control. HT treatment with αT restored mitochondrial metabolism, TRAP, carbonyl protein, chymotrypsin-like activity and AOPP to the level as that of the Control + αT. Calpain activity was lower in the HT + αT group than in HT and Control + αT and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was higher in the HT + αT group than in the Control + αT. Although αT did not reverse muscle loss, ROS was involved in proteolysis to some degree.

Effect of short-term cold exposure on skeletal muscle protein breakdown in rats

Although it is well established that carbohydrate and lipid metabolism are profoundly altered by cold stress, the effects of short-term cold exposure on protein metabolism in skeletal muscle are still poorly understood. Because cold acclimation requires that an organism adjust its metabolic flux, and muscle amino acids may be an important energy source for heat production, we hypothesize that muscle proteolysis is increased and protein synthesis is decreased under such a stress condition. Herein, cold exposure for 24 h decreased rates of protein synthesis and increased overall proteolysis in both soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles, but it did not affect muscle weight. An increase in proteolysis was accompanied by hyperactivity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in both soleus and EDL, and Ca(2+)-dependent proteolysis in EDL. Furthermore, muscles of rats exposed to cold showed increased mRNA and protein levels of atrogin-1 and muscle RING finger enzyme-1 (MuRF1). Additionally, cold stress reduced phosphorylation of Akt and Forkhead box class O1 (FoxO1), a well-known effect that increases FoxO translocation to the nucleus and leads to activation of proteolysis. Plasma insulin levels were lower, whereas catecholamines, corticosterone, and thyroid hormones were higher in cold-exposed rats compared with control rats. The present data provide the first direct evidence that short-term cold exposure for 24 h decreases rates of protein synthesis and increases the UPS and Ca(2+)-dependent proteolytic processes, and increases expression of atrogin-1 and MuRF1 in skeletal muscles of young rats. The activation of atrophy induced by acute cold stress seems to be mediated at least in part through the inactivation of Akt/FoxO signaling and activation of AMP-activated protein kinase.

New insight into the mechanisms associated with the rapid effect of T₃ on AT1R expression

The angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) is involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy promoted by thyroid hormone. Recently, we demonstrated that triiodothyronine (T₃) rapidly increases AT1R mRNA and protein levels in cardiomyocyte cultures. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for these rapid events are not yet known. In this study, we investigated the T₃ effect on AT1R mRNA polyadenylation in cultured cardiomyocytes as well as on the expression of microRNA-350 (miR-350), which targets AT1R mRNA. The transcriptional and translational actions mediated by T₃ on AT1R levels were also assessed. The total content of ubiquitinated proteins in cardiomyocytes treated with T₃ was investigated. Our data confirmed that T₃ rapidly raised AT1R mRNA and protein levels, as assessed by real-time PCR and western blotting respectively. The use of inhibitors of mRNA and protein synthesis prevented the rapid increase in AT1R protein levels mediated by T₃. In addition, T₃ rapidly increased the poly-A tail length of the AT1R mRNA, as determined by rapid amplification of cDNA ends poly-A test, and decreased the content of ubiquitinated proteins in cardiomyocytes. On the other hand, T₃ treatment increased miR-350 expression. In parallel with its transcriptional and translational effects on the AT1R, T₃ exerted a rapid posttranscriptional action on AT1R mRNA polyadenylation, which might be contributing to increase transcript stability, as well as on translational efficiency, resulting to the rapid increase in AT1R mRNA expression and protein levels. Finally, these results show, for the first time, that T₃ rapidly triggers distinct mechanisms, which might contribute to the regulation of AT1R levels in cardiomyocytes.