title: The effect of the beta-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol on growth and protein metabolism in rat muscle cell cultures.
abstract: Cultures were established from neonatal rat muscle cells, satellite cells, and L6 myoblasts and changes in protein metabolism were determined as development proceeded. For all three cell types, culture protein content increased with increasing myotube content. The beta-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol (added to a final concentration of 10(-7) M) significantly stimulated fusion (as indicated by creatine kinase activity) in neonatal muscle cultures and also increased culture protein content. This was associated with a stimulation in both the fractional (ks, percentage/day, +13%, P less than .05) and absolute (As, micrograms/day, +19%, P less than .05) rates of protein synthesis within 24 h after drug administration. At 48 h, As was increased by 42% above that of controls (P less than .01). In contrast, in satellite cell cultures, clenbuterol had no consistent effects on either protein accretion, creatine kinase activity, or protein synthesis (ks and As). Similarly, the drug had no stimulatory effect on protein synthesis and protein accretion in L6 myoblast or L6 myotube cultures (and no effect in neonatally derived fibroblast cultures). It is concluded that the fusion response to clenbuterol and, therefore, changes in protein metabolism and protein accretion are greatly dependent on the origin and genetic integrity of muscle cells.
authors.affiliation: Physiology Division, Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, Scotland.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: McMillan
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Noble
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Maltin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002976:Clenbuterol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D024510:Muscle Development; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D009124:Muscle Proteins; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D002976:Clenbuterol