Mechanosensitive Molecular Networks Involved in Transducing Resistance Exercise-Signals into Muscle Protein Accretion

Loss of skeletal muscle myofibrillar protein with disease and/or inactivity can severely deteriorate muscle strength and function. Strategies to counteract wasting of muscle myofibrillar protein are therefore desirable and invite for considerations on the potential superiority of specific modes of resistance exercise and/or the adequacy of low load resistance exercise regimens as well as underlying mechanisms. In this regard, delineation of the potentially mechanosensitive molecular mechanisms underlying muscle protein synthesis (MPS), may contribute to an understanding on how differentiated resistance exercise can transduce a mechanical signal into stimulation of muscle accretion. Recent findings suggest specific upstream exercise-induced mechano-sensitive myocellular signaling pathways to converge on mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), to influence MPS. This may e.g. implicate mechanical activation of signaling through a diacylglycerol kinase (DGKζ)-phosphatidic acid (PA) axis or implicate integrin deformation to signal through a Focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 (TSC2)-Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb) axis. Moreover, since initiation of translation is reliant on mRNA, it is also relevant to consider potentially mechanosensitive signaling pathways involved in muscle myofibrillar gene transcription and whether some of these pathways converge with those affecting mTORC1 activation for MPS. In this regard, recent findings suggest how mechanical stress may implicate integrin deformation and/or actin dynamics to signal through a Ras homolog gene family member A protein (RhoA)-striated muscle activator of Rho signaling (STARS) axis or implicate deformation of Notch to affect Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling through a small mother of decapentaplegic (Smad) axis.