Unloading leads to skeletal muscle atrophy via the upregulation of MuRF-1 and MAFbx E3-ligases expression. Reportedly, histone deacetylases (HDACs) 4 and 5 may regulate the expression of MuRF1 and MAFbx. To examine the HDAC-dependent mechanisms involved in the control of E3-ubiquitin ligases expression at the early stages of muscle unloading we used HDACs 4 and 5 inhibitor LMK-235 and HDAC 4 inhibitor Tasqinimod (Tq). Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (eight rats per group): nontreated control (C), three days of unloading/hindlimb suspension (HS) and three days HS with HDACs inhibitor LMK-235 (HSLMK) or Tq (HSTq). Treatment with LMK-235 diminished unloading-induced of MAFbx, myogenin (MYOG), ubiquitin and calpain-1 mRNA expression (p < 0.05). Tq administration had no effect on the expression of E3-ligases. The mRNA expression of MuRF1 and MAFbx was significantly increased in both HS and HSTq groups (1.5 and 4.0 folds, respectively; p < 0.05) when compared with the C group. It is concluded that during three days of muscle unloading: (1) the HDACs 4 and 5 participate in the regulation of MAFbx expression as well as the expression of MYOG, ubiquitin and calpain-1; (2) the inhibition of HDAC 4 has no effect on MAFbx expression. Therefore, HDAC 5 is perhaps more important for the regulation of MAFbx expression than HDAC 4.
Keywords: HDACs 4 and 5; MAFbx; MYOG; MuRF1; muscle unloading.