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Neuregulins Increase Mitochondrial Oxidative Capacity and Insulin Sensitivity in Skeletal Muscle Cells

From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Anna Gumà, Dept. Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda Diagonal, 645, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain. E-mail: aguma{at}ub.edu

Abbreviations: AMPK, AMP-activated protein kinase; COX, cytochrome c oxidase; DMEM, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium; EGF, epidermal growth factor; FBS, fetal bovine serum; Hrg, heregulin-ß1_177–244; IRS, insulin receptor substrate; mAb, monoclonal antibody; NOA, nonyl acridine orange; NRF, nuclear respiratory factor; OXPHOS, oxidative phosphorylation; pAb, polyclonal antibody; PGC peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor coactivator; PI3K, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PKB, protein kinase B; PKC, protein kinase C; PPAR, peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor

OBJECTIVE—Neuregulins are growth factors that are essential for myogenesis and regulate muscle metabolism. The addition of a recombinant neuregulin-1 isoform, heregulin-ß1_177–244 (Hrg), containing 3 nmol/l of the bioactive epidermal growth factor–like domain, to developing L6E9 myocytes has acute and chronic effects on glucose uptake and enhances myogenesis. Here, we studied the metabolic adaptation of myocytes to chronic treatments with Hrg.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—L6E9 and C2C12 myocytes were chronically treated with low concentrations of Hrg (3 pmol/l) that do not induce myogenesis. We analyzed the effects of Hrg on cellular oxidative metabolism and insulin sensitivity and explored the mechanisms of action.

RESULTS—Hrg increased the cell content of GLUT4 without affecting basal glucose uptake. Glucose and palmitate oxidation increased in Hrg-treated cells, whereas lactate release decreased. Hrg increased the abundance of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) subunits, enhanced mitochondrial membrane potential, and induced the expression of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR) coactivator1 and PPAR. Furthermore, we identified PPAR as an essential mediator of the stimulatory effects of Hrg on the expression of OXPHOS subunits. The higher oxidative capacity of L6E9 myotubes after neuregulin treatment also paralleled an increase in insulin sensitivity and insulin signaling potency.

CONCLUSIONS—These results indicate that neuregulins act as key modulators of oxidative capacity and insulin sensitivity in muscle cells.

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