Effect of differentiation, de novo innervation, and electrical pulse stimulation on mRNA and protein expression of Na+,K+-ATPase, FXYD1, and FXYD5 in cultured human skeletal muscle cells

PLoS One. 2021 Feb 26;16(2):e0247377. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247377. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Denervation reduces the abundance of Na+,K+-ATPase (NKA) in skeletal muscle, while reinnervation increases it. Primary human skeletal muscle cells, the most widely used model to study human skeletal muscle in vitro, are usually cultured as myoblasts or myotubes without neurons and typically do not contract spontaneously, which might affect their ability to express and regulate NKA. We determined how differentiation, de novo innervation, and electrical pulse stimulation affect expression of NKA (α and β) subunits and NKA regulators FXYD1 (phospholemman) and FXYD5 (dysadherin). Differentiation of myoblasts into myotubes under low serum conditions increased expression of myogenic markers CD56 (NCAM1), desmin, myosin heavy chains, dihydropyridine receptor subunit α1S, and SERCA2 as well as NKAα2 and FXYD1, while it decreased expression of FXYD5 mRNA. Myotubes, which were innervated de novo by motor neurons in co-culture with the embryonic rat spinal cord explants, started to contract spontaneously within 7-10 days. A short-term co-culture (10-11 days) promoted mRNA expression of myokines, such as IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, and IL-15, but did not affect mRNA expression of NKA, FXYDs, or myokines, such as musclin, cathepsin B, meteorin-like protein, or SPARC. A long-term co-culture (21 days) increased the protein abundance of NKAα1, NKAα2, FXYD1, and phospho-FXYD1Ser68 without attendant changes in mRNA levels. Suppression of neuromuscular transmission with α-bungarotoxin or tubocurarine for 24 h did not alter NKA or FXYD mRNA expression. Electrical pulse stimulation (48 h) of non-innervated myotubes promoted mRNA expression of NKAβ2, NKAβ3, FXYD1, and FXYD5. In conclusion, low serum concentration promotes NKAα2 and FXYD1 expression, while de novo innervation is not essential for upregulation of NKAα2 and FXYD1 mRNA in cultured myotubes. Finally, although innervation and EPS both stimulate contractions of myotubes, they exert distinct effects on the expression of NKA and FXYDs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Line
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Ion Channels / genetics*
  • Ion Channels / metabolism*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Microfilament Proteins / genetics*
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism*
  • Muscle Contraction
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / cytology
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Muscle, Skeletal / cytology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / innervation
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics*
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / genetics*
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / metabolism*

Substances

  • FXYD5 protein, human
  • Ion Channels
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • phospholemman
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase

Grants and funding

The study was supported by funding from the Slovenian Research Agency (grants #P3-0043 and #J7-8276), young researcher grant to V.J. from the Slovenian Research Agency, the Swedish Research Council, the Novo Nordisk Research Foundation, the Strategic Research Programme in Diabetes at Karolinska Institutet, the Russian Scientific Foundation (RNF #19-15-00118). The study was conducted as part of bilateral cooperation between Republic of Slovenia and the Russian Federation funded by the Slovenian Research Agency (BI-RU/19-20-039). S.P., K.M., and T.M. are also supported by a grant for bilateral cooperation between Republic of Slovenia and Republic of Croatia funded by the Slovenian Research Agency (BI-HR/20-21-041). N.N., A.C.R., and G.H.T. are supported by the Norwegian Diabetes Association, Aktieselskabet Freia Chocolade Fabriks Medisinske Fond, Anders Jahre’s Foundation and Nansenfondet.