Cited by 223Muscle Physiology and DisordersNutrition and Health in AgingMuscle metabolism and nutrition

Stress-induced Skeletal Muscle Gadd45a Expression Reprograms Myonuclei and Causes Muscle Atrophy

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Ebert, Scott M., Dyle, Michael C., Kunkel, Steven D., Bullard, Steven A., Bongers, Kale S., Fox, Daniel K., Dierdorff, Jason M., Foster, Eric D. +1 more·2012·Journal of Biological Chemistry

Abstract

Diverse stresses including starvation and muscle disuse cause skeletal muscle atrophy. However, the molecular mechanisms of muscle atrophy are complex and not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible 45a protein (Gadd45a) is a critical mediator of muscle atrophy. We identified Gadd45a through an unbiased search for potential downstream mediators of the stress-inducible, pro-atrophy transcription factor ATF4. We show that Gadd45a is required for skeletal muscle atrophy induced by three distinct skeletal muscle stresses: fasting, muscle immobilization, and muscle denervation. Conversely, forced expression of Gadd45a in muscle or cultured myotubes induces atrophy in the absence of upstream stress. We show that muscle-specific ATF4 knock-out mice have a reduced capacity to induce Gadd45a mRNA in response to stress, and as a result, they undergo less atrophy in response to fasting or muscle immobilization. Interestingly, Gadd45a is a myonuclear protein that induces myonuclear remodeling and a comprehensive program for muscle atrophy. Gadd45a represses genes involved in anabolic signaling and energy production, and it induces pro-atrophy genes. As a result, Gadd45a reduces multiple barriers to muscle atrophy (including PGC-1α, Akt activity, and protein synthesis) and stimulates pro-atrophy mechanisms (including autophagy and caspase-mediated proteolysis). These results elucidate a critical stress-induced pathway that reprograms muscle gene expression to cause atrophy.

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Crossref · 10.1074/jbc.m112.374777

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Authors
Ebert, S. M., Dyle, M. C., Kunkel, S. D., Bullard, S. A., Bongers, K. S., Fox, D. K., Dierdorff, J. M., Foster, E. D., & Adams, C. M.
Affiliations
University of Iowa (US)
Corresponding author
Adams, Christopher M.
Venue
Journal of Biological Chemistry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-08
Volume
287
Issue
33
Pages
27290-27301
ISSN
0021-9258 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2059083151
Cited by
221
References
63
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 2
FWCI
4.75
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Biological Chemistry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (I01 BX000976)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL-007121, T32HL007121)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (T32 GM07361, T32GM007337)
  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R01AR059115)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
Keywords
GADD45A, skeletal muscle atrophy, ATF4, muscle stress, fasting, muscle immobilization, muscle denervation, PGC-1α, Akt signaling, autophagy, protein synthesis, gene expression reprogramming
MeSH terms
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha, GADD45 Proteins, Animals, Cell Line, Cell Nucleus, Energy Metabolism, Gene Expression Regulation, Muscle Proteins, Muscular Atrophy, Nuclear Proteins, RNA, Messenger, Stress, Physiological, Transcription Factors, Protein Biosynthesis, Signal Transduction, Trans-Activators, Mice, Knockout, Muscle, Skeletal, Cell Cycle Proteins, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt, Mice, Activating Transcription Factor 4

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