Transcriptomic profiling of Yanbian cattle skeletal muscle satellite cells treated with L-carnosine for cultured meat production
Skeletal muscle development and muscle fiber type composition are critical factors determining the quality of cultured meat. L-carnosine, a dipeptide naturally abundant in ruminant muscle, has shown potential in influencing muscle characteristics, yet its regulatory mechanism in bovine skeletal muscle satellite cells (BSCs) remains poorly understood. In this study, we performed transcriptomic analysis (RNA-Seq) on primary BSCs from Yanbian cattle treated with 10 mM L-carnosine compared to untreated controls. Our objective was to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which L-carnosine promotes cell proliferation, myogenic differentiation, and muscle fiber type transformation. The transcriptomic data identified 449 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) significantly enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. This research demonstrates that L-carnosine activates the Akt/mTOR/P70S6K pathway to drive myogenesis and fast-twitch fiber differentiation, while also enhancing the cells' antioxidant capacity. The findings provide a molecular basis for using L-carnosine as a natural additive to improve the efficiency and quality of antibiotic-free cultured meat production.