Bex1 knock out mice show altered skeletal muscle regeneration

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Nov 16;363(2):405-10. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.08.186. Epub 2007 Sep 11.

Abstract

Bex1 and Calmodulin (CaM) are upregulated during skeletal muscle regeneration. We confirm this finding and demonstrate the novel finding that they interact in a calcium-dependent manner. To study the role of Bex1 and its interaction with CaM in skeletal muscle regeneration, we generated Bex1 knock out (Bex1-KO) mice. These mice appeared to develop normally and are fertile, but displayed a functional deficit in exercise performance compared to wild type (WT) mice. After intramuscular injection of cardiotoxin, which causes extensive and reproducible myotrauma followed by recovery, regenerating muscles of Bex1-KO mice exhibited elevated and prolonged cell proliferation, as well as delayed cell differentiation, compared to WT mice. Thus, our results provide the first evidence that Bex1-KO mice show altered muscle regeneration, and allow us to propose that the interaction of Bex1 with Ca(2+)/CaM may be involved in skeletal muscle regeneration.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Muscle Fatigue / physiology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / physiology*
  • Physical Exertion / physiology*
  • Regeneration / physiology*

Substances

  • Bex1 protein, mouse
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins