Cited by 402TGF-β signaling in diseasesMuscle Physiology and DisordersDevelopmental Biology and Gene Regulation

TGF-β inhibits muscle differentiation through functional repression of myogenic transcription factors by Smad3

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Liu, Dong, Black, Brian L., Derynck, Rik·2001·Genes & Development

Abstract

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a potent inhibitor of skeletal muscle differentiation, but the molecular mechanism and signaling events that lead to this inhibition are poorly characterized. Here we show that the TGF-β intracellular effector Smad3, but not Smad2, mediates the inhibition of myogenic differentiation in MyoD-expressing C3H10T1/2 cells and C2C12 myoblasts by repressing the activity of the MyoD family of transcriptional factors. The Smad3-mediated repression was directed at the E-box sequence motif within muscle gene enhancers and the bHLH region of MyoD, the domain required for its association with E-protein partners such as E12 and E47. The repression could be overcome by supplying an excess of E12, and covalent tethering of E47 to MyoD rendered the E-box-dependent transcriptional activity refractory to the effects of Smad3 and TGF-β. Smad3 physically interacted with the HLH domain of MyoD, and this interaction correlated with the ability of Smad3 to interfere with MyoD/E protein heterodimerization and binding of MyoD complexes to oligomerized E-box sites. Together, these results reveal a model for how TGF-β, through Smad3-mediated transcriptional repression, inhibits myogenic differentiation.

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  • Myostatin is a ligand of the TGF-β pathway in skeletal muscle and a well-known negative regulator of muscle mass, as it inhibits satellite cells' proliferation and differentiation.

    “Myostatin is a ligand of the TGF-β pathway in skeletal muscle and a well-known negative regulator of muscle mass, as it inhibits satellite cells’ proliferation and differentiation [174].”

    From Main Pathogenic Mechanisms and Recent Advances in COPD Peripheral Skeletal Muscle Wasting (2023) · cites this paper as [174]

    The opening passage reports that TGF-β inhibits differentiation in cultured myoblasts without affecting their proliferation; the Discussion likewise concerns TGF-β, not myostatin. Searches for myostatin, satellite cells, and muscle mass found no passage addressing the claim about myostatin. The proliferation finding for TGF-β does not establish what myostatin does. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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Authors
Liu, D., Black, B. L., & Derynck, R.
Affiliations
University of California, San Francisco (US)
Venue
Genes & Development
Published
2001-11-15
Volume
15
Issue
22
Pages
2950-2966
ISSN
  • 0890-9369 (ISSN-L)
  • 1549-5477
OpenAlex
W2116961946
Cited by
399
References
80
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 14
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Genes & Development (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA063101, R01-CA63101)
  • National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (P60DE013058, P60 DE-13058)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › TGF-β signaling in diseases
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
Keywords
TGF-beta, Smad3, Smad2, skeletal muscle differentiation, myogenesis, MyoD, E-box, bHLH transcription factors, E12, E47, E protein, transcriptional repression, heterodimerization, C2C12 myoblasts, C3H10T1/2 cells
MeSH terms
Animals, Cell Differentiation, Cell Line, Cells, Cultured, DNA-Binding Proteins, Glutathione Transferase, Luciferases, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Plasmids, Protein Binding, Recombinant Fusion Proteins, Retroviridae, Transcription, Genetic, Transfection, Blotting, Western, Signal Transduction, Trans-Activators, Transforming Growth Factor beta, Protein Structure, Tertiary, MyoD Protein, Muscle, Skeletal, Dimerization, COS Cells, Mice, Smad3 Protein

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