Altered protein synthesis and creatine kinase in breast muscle cell cultures from dystrophic chick embryos

The total protein synthesis (TPS), myosin synthesis (MS) and creatine kinase (CK) levels in muscle cell cultures obtained from 400 normal (strain 454) and 400 dystrophic chick embryos (strain 455) were investigated. The cultures were obtained from breast muscles of 12 day chick embryos by dissociation in 0.25% trypsin, preplating and plating of 5 x 10(5) floating cells on gelatin coated dishes in Minimal Essential Medium, 10% horse serum and 2% chick embryo extract. After 6 days, when electron-microscopic studies demonstrated good muscle differentiation, cell cultures were labeled with [3H]leucine. TPS and MS, respectively, showed 85% and 65% increases in breast muscle cell cultures from dystrophic chick embryos. The half-life times for total protein and myosin from dystrophics were 19 and 32 hr, respectively as compared with 36 and 48 hr from controls. Noncollagen protein content (NCP) showed 27% decrease in postfusion stage (12 days) of cell cultures from dystrophics. The CK level showed 30% lower values in the cells from dystrophics but 50% higher values in their culture medium. The addition of leupeptin plus pepstatin (50 microgram/ml) to these cultures resotred NCP content, total protein and myosin turnover to normal values and significantly increased TPS and MS. The addition of diphenylhydantoin (DPH) (20 microgram/ml) to cell cultures from dystrophics did not change the NCP content nor the turnover for total protein and myosin but significantly increased TPS, MS and CK while medium CK significantly decreased. The addition of leupeptin plus pepstatin or DPH to muscle cell cultures from normal chick embryos also significantly stimulated TPS and MS.