Proline isomerase Pin1 represses terminal differentiation and myocyte enhancer factor 2C function in skeletal muscle cells

J Biol Chem. 2010 Nov 5;285(45):34518-27. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.104133. Epub 2010 Aug 27.

Abstract

Reversible proline-directed phosphorylation at Ser/Thr-Pro motifs has an essential role in myogenesis, a multistep process strictly regulated by several signaling pathways that impinge on two families of myogenic effectors, the basic helix-loop-helix myogenic transcription factors and the MEF2 (myocyte enhancer factor 2) proteins. The question of how these signals are deciphered by the myogenic effectors remains largely unaddressed. In this study, we show that the peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1, which catalyzes the isomerization of phosphorylated Ser/Thr-Pro peptide bonds to induce conformational changes of its target proteins, acts as an inhibitor of muscle differentiation because its knockdown in myoblasts promotes myotube formation. With the aim of clarifying the mechanism of Pin1 function in skeletal myogenesis, we investigated whether MEF2C, a critical regulator of the myogenic program that is the end point of several signaling pathways, might serve as a/the target for the inhibitory effects of Pin1 on muscle differentiation. We show that Pin1 interacts selectively with phosphorylated MEF2C in skeletal muscle cells, both in vitro and in vivo. The interaction with Pin1 requires two novel critical phospho-Ser/Thr-Pro motifs in MEF2C, Ser(98) and Ser(110), which are phosphorylated in vivo. Overexpression of Pin1 decreases MEF2C stability and activity and its ability to cooperate with MyoD to activate myogenic conversion. Collectively, these findings reveal a novel role for Pin1 as a regulator of muscle terminal differentiation and suggest that Pin1-mediated repression of MEF2C function could contribute to this function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • COS Cells
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Humans
  • MEF2 Transcription Factors
  • Mice
  • Muscle Development / physiology*
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • MyoD Protein / genetics
  • MyoD Protein / metabolism
  • Myogenic Regulatory Factors / genetics
  • Myogenic Regulatory Factors / metabolism*
  • NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / genetics
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation / physiology
  • Protein Stability
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*

Substances

  • MEF2 Transcription Factors
  • Mef2c protein, mouse
  • MyoD Protein
  • MyoD1 myogenic differentiation protein
  • Myogenic Regulatory Factors
  • NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • Peptides
  • PIN1 protein, human
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • Pin1 protein, mouse