Lactoferrin promotes murine C2C12 myoblast proliferation and differentiation and myotube hypertrophy

Lactoferrin (Lf) is a multifunctional glycoprotein, which promotes the proliferation of murine C2C12 myoblasts. In the present study, it was investigated how Lf promotes myoblast proliferation and whether Lf promotes myoblast differentiation or induces myotube hypertrophy. Lf promoted the proliferation of myoblasts in a dose‑dependent manner. Myoblast proliferation increased on day 3 when myoblasts were cultured in the presence of Lf for three days and also when myoblasts were cultured in the presence of Lf for the first day and in the absence of Lf for the subsequent two days. In addition, Lf induced the phosphorylation of extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 in myoblasts. The mitogen‑activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 inhibitor U0126 inhibited Lf‑induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and repressed Lf‑promoted myoblast proliferation. C2C12 myoblasts, myotubes and skeletal muscle expressed low‑density lipoprotein receptor‑related protein (LRP)1 mRNA and Lf‑promoted myoblast proliferation was attenuated by an LRP1 antagonist or LRP1 gene silencing. The knockdown of LRP1 repressed Lf‑induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Furthermore, when myoblasts were induced to differentiate, Lf increased the expression of the myotube‑specific structural protein, myosin heavy chain (MyHC) and promoted myotube formation. Knockdown of LRP1 repressed Lf‑induced MyHC expression. Lf also increased myotube size following differentiation. These results indicate that Lf promotes myoblast proliferation and differentiation, at least partially through LRP1 and also stimulates myotube hypertrophy.