Age-related declines in α-Klotho drive progenitor cell mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired muscle regeneration

Nat Commun. 2018 Nov 19;9(1):4859. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07253-3.

Abstract

While young muscle is capable of restoring the original architecture of damaged myofibers, aged muscle displays a markedly reduced regeneration. We show that expression of the "anti-aging" protein, α-Klotho, is up-regulated within young injured muscle as a result of transient Klotho promoter demethylation. However, epigenetic control of the Klotho promoter is lost with aging. Genetic inhibition of α-Klotho in vivo disrupted muscle progenitor cell (MPC) lineage progression and impaired myofiber regeneration, revealing a critical role for α-Klotho in the regenerative cascade. Genetic silencing of Klotho in young MPCs drove mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and decreased cellular bioenergetics. Conversely, supplementation with α-Klotho restored mtDNA integrity and bioenergetics of aged MPCs to youthful levels in vitro and enhanced functional regeneration of aged muscle in vivo in a temporally-dependent manner. These studies identify a role for α-Klotho in the regulation of MPC mitochondrial function and implicate α-Klotho declines as a driver of impaired muscle regeneration with age.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging / genetics*
  • Aging / metabolism
  • Aging / pathology
  • Animals
  • DNA Methylation
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / genetics*
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / metabolism
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Glucuronidase
  • Klotho Proteins
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mitochondria / genetics*
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Myoblasts / metabolism*
  • Myoblasts / pathology
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics*
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Regeneration / genetics
  • Signal Transduction
  • Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Stem Cells / pathology

Substances

  • DNA, Mitochondrial
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Glucuronidase
  • Klotho Proteins