Impaired myogenesis in estrogen-related receptor γ (ERRγ)-deficient skeletal myocytes due to oxidative stress

Specialized contractile function and increased mitochondrial number and oxidative capacity are hallmark features of myocyte differentiation. The estrogen-related receptors (ERRs) can regulate mitochondrial biogenesis or mitochondrial enzyme expression in skeletal muscle, suggesting that ERRs may have a role in promoting myogenesis. Therefore, we characterized myogenic programs in primary myocytes isolated from wild-type (M-ERRγWT) and muscle-specific ERRγ(-/-) (M-ERRγ(-/-)) mice. Myotube maturation and number were decreased throughout differentiation in M-ERRγ(-/-) primary myocytes, resulting in myotubes with reduced mitochondrial content and sarcomere assembly. Compared with M-ERRγWT myocytes at the same differentiation stage, the glucose oxidation rate was reduced by 30% in M-ERRγ(-/-) myotubes, while medium-chain fatty acid oxidation was increased by 34% in M-ERRγ(-/-) myoblasts and 36% in M-ERRγ(-/-) myotubes. Concomitant with increased reliance on mitochondrial β-oxidation, H(2)O(2) production was significantly increased by 40% in M-ERRγ(-/-) myoblasts and 70% in M-ERRγ(-/-) myotubes compared to M-ERRγWT myocytes. ROS activation of FoxO and NF-κB and their downstream targets, atrogin-1 and MuRF1, was observed in M-ERRγ(-/-) myocytes. The antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine rescued myotube formation and atrophy gene induction in M-ERRγ(-/-) myocytes. These results suggest that loss of ERRγ causes metabolic defects and oxidative stress that impair myotube formation through activation of skeletal muscle atrophy pathways.