Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) promotes skeletal muscle atrophy by forming a heterodimer with the transcriptional regulator C/EBPβ.

ABSTRACT: Skeletal muscle atrophy is a highly-prevalent and debilitating condition that remains poorly understood at the molecular level. Previous work found that aging, fasting, and immobilization promote skeletal muscle atrophy via expression of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) in skeletal muscle fibers. However, the direct biochemical mechanism by which ATF4 promotes muscle atrophy is unknown. ATF4 is a member of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor (bZIP) superfamily. Because bZIP transcription factors are obligate dimers, and because ATF4 is unable to form highly-stable homodimers, we hypothesized that ATF4 may promote muscle atrophy by forming a heterodimer with another bZIP family member. To test this hypothesis, we biochemically isolated skeletal muscle proteins that associa

SUBMITTER: Ebert SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7049960 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature