Melatonin improves muscle injury and differentiation by increasing Pax7 expression

Area of Science:

• Muscle physiology and regeneration
• Molecular biology of differentiation
• Pharmacology of melatonin

Background:

• Skeletal muscle regeneration requires a balance between injury and repair.
• Melatonin possesses anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.
• The role of melatonin in skeletal muscle differentiation is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of melatonin on skeletal muscle regeneration and differentiation.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying melatonin-induced muscle repair.
• To evaluate melatonin's therapeutic potential in muscle injury models.

Main Methods:

• Established a C2C12 cell line with Pax7 knockdown.
• Treated cells and mice with melatonin during differentiation and injury.
• Utilized RNA sequencing, bioinformatics, miRNA screening, micro-computed tomography, and immunohistochemistry.

Main Results:

• Melatonin treatment promoted skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration.
• Bioinformatics identified Wnt cascades involvement in melatonin-regulated differentiation.
• miR-3475-3p was found to negatively regulate Pax7, mediating melatonin's effects.
• Melatonin administration improved muscle function and morphology in a mouse model of glycerol-induced muscle injury.
• Increased Pax7 expression was observed following melatonin treatment in vivo.

Conclusions:

• Melatonin accelerates skeletal muscle regeneration and differentiation.
• The melatonin/Pax7 axis is a key pathway in muscle repair.
• Melatonin represents a potential therapeutic agent for optimizing muscle healing.