Erythropoietin contributes to slow oxidative muscle fiber specification via PGC-1α and AMPK activation.

ABSTRACT: Erythropoietin activity, required for erythropoiesis, is not restricted to the erythroid lineage. In light of reports on the metabolic effects of erythropoietin, we examined the effect of erythropoietin signaling on skeletal muscle fiber type development. Skeletal muscles that are rich in slow twitch fibers are associated with increased mitochondrial oxidative activity and corresponding expression of related genes compared to muscle rich in fast twitch fibers. Although erythropoietin receptor is expressed on muscle progenitor/precursor cells and is down regulated in mature muscle fibers, we found that skeletal muscles from mice with high erythropoietin production in vivo exhibit an increase in the proportion of slow twitch myofibers and increased mitochondrial activity. In comparison, skel

SUBMITTER: Wang L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3684177 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature