Glucocorticoids do not regulate the expression of proteolytic genes in skeletal muscle from Cushing's syndrome patients

Quantitative assessment of muscle mass and gene expression analysis in dogs with glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy

The present study aimed to quantitatively evaluate muscle mass and gene expression in dogs with glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy. Five healthy beagles received oral prednisolone for 4 weeks (1 mg/kg/day), and muscle mass was then evaluated via computed tomography. Histological and gene expression analyses were performed using biopsy samples from the biceps femoris before and after prednisolone administration. The cross-sectional area of the third lumbar paraspinal and mid-femoral muscles significantly decreased after glucocorticoid administration (from 27.5 ± 1.9 to 22.6 ± 2.0 cm² and from 55.1 ± 4.7 to 50.7 ± 4.1 cm², respectively; P<0.01). The fast- and slow-twitch muscle fibers were both atrophied (from 2,779 ± 369 to 1,581 ± 207 μm² and from 2,871 ± 211 to 1,971 ± 169 μm², respectively; P<0.05). The expression of the growth factor receptor-bound protein 10 (GRB10) significantly increased after prednisolone administration (P<0.05). Because GRB10 suppresses insulin signaling and the subsequent mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 activity, increased expression of GRB10 may have resulted in a decrease in protein anabolism. Taken together, 1 mg/kg/day oral prednisolone for 4 weeks induced significant muscle atrophy in dogs, and GRB10 might participate in the pathology of glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy in canines.

Glucocorticoids regulate mRNA levels for subunits of the 19 S regulatory complex of the 26 S proteasome in fast-twitch skeletal muscles

Circulating levels of glucocorticoids are increased in many traumatic and muscle-wasting conditions that include insulin-dependent diabetes, acidosis, infection, and starvation. On the basis of indirect findings, it appeared that these catabolic hormones are required to stimulate Ub (ubiquitin)-proteasome-dependent proteolysis in skeletal muscles in such conditions. The present studies were performed to provide conclusive evidence for an activation of Ub-proteasome-dependent proteolysis after glucocorticoid treatment. In atrophying fast-twitch muscles from rats treated with dexamethasone for 6 days, compared with pair-fed controls, we found (i) increased MG132-inhibitable proteasome-dependent proteolysis, (ii) an enhanced rate of substrate ubiquitination, (iii) increased chymotrypsin-like proteasomal activity of the proteasome, and (iv) a co-ordinate increase in the mRNA expression of several ATPase (S4, S6, S7 and S8) and non-ATPase (S1, S5a and S14) subunits of the 19 S regulatory complex, which regulates the peptidase and the proteolytic activities of the 26 S proteasome. These studies provide conclusive evidence that glucocorticoids activate Ub-proteasome-dependent proteolysis and the first in vivo evidence for a hormonal regulation of the expression of subunits of the 19 S complex. The results suggest that adaptations in gene expression of regulatory subunits of the 19 S complex by glucocorticoids are crucial in the regulation of the 26 S muscle proteasome.

Signal transduction pathways involved in proteolysis-inducing factor induced proteasome expression in murine myotubes

The proteolysis-inducing factor (PIF) is produced by cachexia-inducing tumours and initiates protein catabolism in skeletal muscle. The potential signalling pathways linking the release of arachidonic acid (AA) from membrane phospholipids with increased expression of the ubiquitin–proteasome proteolytic pathway by PIF has been studied using C₂C₁₂ murine myotubes as a surrogate model of skeletal muscle. The induction of proteasome activity and protein degradation by PIF was blocked by quinacrine, a nonspecific phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) inhibitor and trifluroacetyl AA, an inhibitor of cytosolic PLA₂. PIF was shown to increase the expression of calcium-independent cytosolic PLA₂, determined by Western blotting, at the same concentrations as those inducing maximal expression of 20S proteasome α-subunits and protein degradation. In addition, both U-73122, which inhibits agonist-induced phospholipase C (PLC) activation and D609, a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylcholine-specific PLC also inhibited PIF-induced proteasome activity. This suggests that both PLA₂ and PLC are involved in the release of AA in response to PIF, and that this is important in the induction of proteasome expression. The two tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and tryphostin A23 also attenuated PIF-induced proteasome expression, implicating tyrosine kinase in this process. PIF induced phosphorylation of p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) at the same concentrations as that inducing proteasome expression, and the effect was blocked by PD98059, an inhibitor of MAPK kinase, as was also the induction of proteasome expression, suggesting a role for MAPK activation in PIF-induced proteasome expression.

Induction of protein catabolism in myotubes by 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid through increased expression of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway

The potential role of 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15(S)-HETE) as an intracellular signal for increased protein catabolism and induction of the expression of key components of the ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic pathway induced by a tumour cachectic factor, proteolysis-inducing factor has been studied in murine C(2)C(12) myotubes. 15(S)-HETE induced protein degradation in these cells with a maximal effect at concentrations between 78 and 312 nM. The effect was attenuated by the polyunsaturated fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). There was an increase in 'chymotrypsin-like' enzyme activity, the predominant proteolytic activity of the proteasome, in the same concentration range as that inducing total protein degradation, and this effect was also attenuated by EPA. 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid also increased maximal expression of mRNA for proteasome subunits C2 and C5, as well as the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, E2(14k), after 4 h incubation, as determined by quantitative competitive RT-PCR. The concentrations of 15-HETE affecting gene expression were the same as those inducing protein degradation. Western blotting of cellular supernatants of myotubes treated with 15(S)-HETE for 24 h showed increased expression of p42, an ATPase subunit of the regulatory complex at similar concentrations, as well as a decrease in expression of myosin in the same concentration range. 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid activated binding of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in the myotube nucleus and stimulated degradation of I-kappaBalpha. The effect on the NF-kappaB/I-kappaBalpha system was attenuated by EPA. In addition, the NF-kappaB inhibitor peptide SN50 attenuated the increased chymotrypsin-like enzyme activity in the presence of 15(S)-HETE. These results suggest that 15(S)-HETE induces degradation of myofibrillar proteins in differentiated myotubes through an induction of an increased expression of the regulatory components of the ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic pathway possibly through the intervention of the nuclear transcription factor NF-kappaB, and that this process is inhibited by EPA.

Muscle cachexia: current concepts of intracellular mechanisms and molecular regulation

OBJECTIVE

To review present knowledge of intracellular mechanisms and molecular regulation of muscle cachexia.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

Muscle cachexia, mainly reflecting degradation of myofibrillar proteins, is an important clinical feature in patients with severe injury, sepsis, and cancer. The catabolic response in skeletal muscle may result in muscle wasting and weakness, delaying or preventing ambulation and rehabilitation in these patients and increasing the risk for pulmonary complications.

RESULTS

Muscle cachexia, induced by severe injury, sepsis, and cancer, is associated with increased gene expression and activity of the calcium/calpain- and ubiquitin/proteasome-proteolytic pathways. Calcium/calpain-regulated release of myofilaments from the sarcomere is an early, and perhaps rate-limiting, component of the catabolic response in muscle. Released myofilaments are ubiquitinated in the N-end rule pathway, regulated by the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2(14k) and the ubiquitin ligase E3 alpha, and degraded by the 26S proteasome.

CONCLUSIONS

An understanding of the mechanisms regulating muscle protein breakdown is important for the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at treating or preventing muscle cachexia in patients with severe injury, sepsis, cancer, and perhaps other catabolic conditions as well.

Role of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in sepsis-induced muscle catabolism

Several lines of evidence suggest that the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is involved in sepsis-induced muscle catabolism. The gene expression of ubiquitin and several of the proteasome subunits was increased in muscle from both septic rats and patients. In other studies, the activity of isolated 20S proteasomes was stimulated in septic muscles. Sepsis-induced increase in muscle total and myofibrillar protein breakdown was inhibited with specific proteasome blockers. Although the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is upregulated in septic muscle, it is still unclear how the myofibrillar proteins actin and myosin are ubiquitinated and become substrates for the 26S proteasome. Recent studies suggest that a calcium-dependent, calpain-mediated process releases myofilaments from the Z-disks during sepsis. It is possible that this process exposes destabilizing N-terminal residues on actin and myosin, making them suitable substrates for the N-end rule pathway involving the 14 kD ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E214k and the ubiquitin-protein ligase E3alpha.