c-peptide and Muscular-Diseases

The repair capacity of progenitor skeletal muscle satellite cells (SC) in Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is decreased. This is associated with the loss of skeletal muscle function. In T1DM, the deficiency of C-peptide along with insulin is associated with an impairment of skeletal muscle functions such as growth, and repair, and is thought to be an important contributor to increased morbidity and mortality. Recently, cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) have also been reported to increase the risk of skeletal muscle dysfunction. We hypothesised that C-peptide activates key signaling pathways in myoblasts, thus promoting cell survival and protecting against simvastatin-induced myotoxicity. This was tested by investigating the effects of C-peptide on the L6 rat myoblast cell line under serum-starved conditions. Results: C-peptide at concentrations as low as 0.03 nM exerted stimulatory effects on intracellular signaling pathways-MAP kinase (ERK1/2) and Akt. When apoptosis was induced by simvastatin, 3 nM C-peptide potently suppressed the apoptotic effect through a pertussis toxin-sensitive pathway. Simvastatin strongly impaired Akt signaling and stimulated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production; suggesting that Akt signaling and oxidative stress are important factors in statin-induced apoptosis in L6 myoblasts. The findings indicate that C-peptide exerts an important protective effect against death signaling in myoblasts. Therefore, in T1DM, the deficiency of C-peptide may contribute to myopathy by rendering myoblast-like progenitor cells (involved in muscle regeneration) more susceptible to the toxic effects of insults such as simvastatin.

Topics: Animals; C-Peptide; Caspase 3; Cell Death; Cell Line; Cell Shape; Cell Survival; Enzyme Activation; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; Muscle, Skeletal; Muscular Diseases; Myoblasts; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Rats; Reactive Oxygen Species; Signal Transduction; Simvastatin

Congenital muscle fiber type disproportion myopathy (CFTDM) is a chronic, nonprogressive muscle disorder characterized by universal muscle hypotrophy and growth retardation. Histomorphometric examination of muscle shows a preponderance of smaller than normal type 1 fibers and overall fiber size heterogeneity. Concomitant endocrine dysfunctions have not been described. We report the findings of altered insulin secretion and insulin action in two brothers affected with CFTDM and glucose intolerance as well as in their nonconsanguineous glucose-tolerant parents. Results are compared with those of six normoglycemic control subjects. All study participants underwent an oral glucose tolerance test to estimate insulin secretion. The oldest boy and his parents volunteered for studies of whole-body insulin sensitivity consisting of a 4-h euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp in combination with indirect calorimetry. Insulin receptor function and glycogen synthase (GS) activity and expression were examined in biopsies of vastus lateralis muscle. Despite a 45-90-fold increase in both fasting and postprandial serum insulin levels, both CFTDM patients had diabetes mellitus. Clamp studies revealed that the oldest boy had severe insulin resistance of both liver and peripheral tissues. The impaired insulin-stimulated glucose disposal to peripheral tissues was primarily due to reduced nonoxidative glucose metabolism. These changes were paralleled by reduced basal values of muscle GS total activity, allosterical activation of GS by glucose-6-phosphate, GS protein, and GS mRNA. The father expressed a lesser degree of insulin resistance, and studies of muscle insulin receptor function showed a severe impairment of receptor kinase activity. In conclusion, CFTDM is a novel form of severe hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. Whether insulin resistance is causally related to the muscle disorder awaits to be clarified.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Base Sequence; Blood Glucose; C-Peptide; Child; Diabetes Complications; Female; Glucose; Glucose Clamp Technique; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; Insulin; Insulin Resistance; Insulin Secretion; Lipid Metabolism; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal; Muscles; Muscular Diseases; Oxidation-Reduction; Proinsulin