Separating myoblast differentiation from muscle cell fusion using IGF-I and the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor SB202190.

ABSTRACT: The p38 MAP kinases play critical roles in skeletal muscle biology, but the specific processes regulated by these kinases remain poorly defined. Here we find that activity of p38α/β is important not only in early phases of myoblast differentiation, but also in later stages of myocyte fusion and myofibrillogenesis. By treatment of C2 myoblasts with the promyogenic growth factor insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, the early block in differentiation imposed by the p38 chemical inhibitor SB202190 could be overcome. Yet, under these conditions, IGF-I could not prevent the later impairment of muscle cell fusion, as marked by the nearly complete absence of multinucleated myofibers. Removal of SB202190 from the medium of differentiating myoblasts reversed the fusion block, as multinucleated myofib

SUBMITTER: Gardner S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4593770 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature