Proton radiation impairs mechanotransduction in C2C12 myoblasts

Skeletal muscle dysfunction during spaceflight arises from combined mechanical and non-gravitational stressors. Here, we modeled solar particle event-like proton irradiation in C2C12 myogenic cells to examine radiation-induced membrane and mechanosensitive channel alterations. Proton exposure increased membrane rigidity in a dose-dependent manner and significantly reduced the pharmacological activatability of Piezo1 channels, identifying membrane-mediated mechanotransduction as a potential contributor to radiation-induced muscle dysfunction.