Chemotactic factors enhance myogenic cell migration across an endothelial monolayer.
Recent reports revealed that myogenic progenitors, derived from either bone marrow or muscle can migrate into muscle tissue and participate in myofiber regeneration, when injected in the peripheral circulation. This observation might open a new strategy for the treatment of muscular dystrophies. The signals involved in myoblast recruitment from circulation are at present poorly understood. To investigate myoblast migration we used a transwell assay in which murine myoblasts and myogenic cell lines were seeded on microporous membrane covered by an endothelial monolayer and chemotactic factors were added in the lower chamber. We demonstrated that myoblasts are able to cross the endothelium and that this process can be modulated. In particular among tested factors, we observed a gradient of chemotactic activity as follows: HGF >> RANTES > PDGF-A > PDGF-B > FGF >> TNF-alpha > IFN-gamma > EGF. Endothelial and myoblast expression of Pax3 (a transcription factor expressed by embryonic migrating myogenic cells) and cytokine transcripts (TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma) was also monitored either at the basal level and after transmigration. We observed increased Pax3 expression after interaction of C2C12 myoblasts with endothelial cells. We consider that any new report elucidating the molecular signals involved in myoblast migration may be useful toward the development of systemic cellular-mediated gene therapy of muscle diseases.
Corti
S
S
Centro Dino Ferrari, Istituto di Clinica Neurologica, Università di Milano IRCCS, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Francesco Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy. stcorti@yahoo.it
Salani
S
S
Del Bo
R
R
Sironi
M
M
Strazzer
S
S
D'Angelo
M G
MG
Comi
G P
GP
Bresolin
N
N
Scarlato
G
G
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018925:Chemokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015194:Diffusion Chambers, Culture; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D000072041:PAX3 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D018925:Chemokines; D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D016207:Cytokines; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D000072041:PAX3 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C068686:Pax3 protein, mouse