Author/Editor     Filipovič, Dragana; Pirkmajer, Sergej; Miš, Katarina; Marš, Tomaž; Grubič, Zoran
Title     Expression of glucocorticoid receptors in the regenerating human skeletal muscle
Type     članek
Source     Physiol Res
Vol. and No.     Letnik 60, št. Suppl 1
Publication year     2011
Volume     str. S147-54
Language     eng
Abstract     Many stress conditions are accompanied by skeletal muscle dysfunction and regeneration, which is essentially a recapitulation of the embryonic development. However, regeneration usually occurs under conditions of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gland axis activation and therefore increased glucocorticoid (GC) levels. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR), the main determinant of cellular responsiveness to GCs, exists in two isoforms (GRalpha and GRbeta) in humans. While the role of GRalpha is well characterized, GRbeta remains an elusive player in GC signalling. To elucidate basic characteristics of GC signaling in the regenerating human skeletal muscle we assessed GRalpha and GRbeta expression pattern in cultured human myoblasts and myotubes and their response to 24-hour dexamethasone (DEX) treatment. There was no difference in GRalpha mRNA and protein expression or DEX-mediated GRalpha down-regulation in myoblasts and myotubes. GRbeta mRNA level was very low in myoblasts and remained unaffected by differentiation and/or DEX. GRbeta protein could not be detected. These results indicate that response to GCs is established very early during human skeletal muscle regeneration and that it remains practically unchanged before innervation is established. Very low GRbeta mRNA expression and inability to detect GRbeta protein suggests that GRbeta is not a major player in the early stages of human skeletal muscle regeneration.
Descriptors     RECEPTORS, GLUCOCORTICOID
MUSCLE, SKELETAL
DEXAMETHASONE
RNA, MESSENGER
MUSCLE FIBERS
STRESS
REGENERATION
POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION
BLOTTING, WESTERN
CELLS, CULTURED