The imprinted gene Pw1/Peg3 regulates skeletal muscle growth, satellite cell metabolic state, and self-renewal

Sci Rep. 2018 Oct 2;8(1):14649. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-32941-x.

Abstract

Pw1/Peg3 is an imprinted gene expressed from the paternally inherited allele. Several imprinted genes, including Pw1/Peg3, have been shown to regulate overall body size and play a role in adult stem cells. Pw1/Peg3 is expressed in muscle stem cells (satellite cells) as well as a progenitor subset of muscle interstitial cells (PICs) in adult skeletal muscle. We therefore examined the impact of loss-of-function of Pw1/Peg3 during skeletal muscle growth and in muscle stem cell behavior. We found that constitutive loss of Pw1/Peg3 function leads to a reduced muscle mass and myofiber number. In newborn mice, the reduction in fiber number is increased in homozygous mutants as compared to the deletion of only the paternal Pw1/Peg3 allele, indicating that the maternal allele is developmentally functional. Constitutive and a satellite cell-specific deletion of Pw1/Peg3, revealed impaired muscle regeneration and a reduced capacity of satellite cells for self-renewal. RNA sequencing analyses revealed a deregulation of genes that control mitochondrial function. Consistent with these observations, Pw1/Peg3 mutant satellite cells displayed increased mitochondrial activity coupled with accelerated proliferation and differentiation. Our data show that Pw1/Peg3 regulates muscle fiber number determination during fetal development in a gene-dosage manner and regulates satellite cell metabolism in the adult.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Cell Self Renewal / genetics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Fetal Development / genetics
  • Gene Dosage / physiology
  • Genomic Imprinting*
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Models, Animal
  • Muscle Development / genetics*
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / cytology
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / physiology*
  • Regeneration / genetics*
  • Satellite Cells, Skeletal Muscle / metabolism

Substances

  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors
  • Peg3 protein, mouse