Effect of the triiodothyronine (T3) and the thyroid receptor beta selective agonist GC-24 upon rat skeletal muscle trophism: expression of proteasome-dependent genes.

Author(s)

Vanessa Fonseca Vilas Boas

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI)
• Defense date: 2008-04-25

Examining board members

Anselmo Sigari Moriscot; Marcelo Saldanha Aoki; Maria Tereza Nunes

• Advisor: Anselmo Sigari Moriscot

Abstract

Triiodothyronine (T3) is known to play a key role in the function of several tissues/organs via the thyroid hormone receptor isoforms a/pha (TRa) and beta (TRI3). Abnormalities in skeletal muscle function have been associated with increased leveis of T3, which is a major sarcopenia (Ioss of sarcomeres). Although the phenomenon of sarcopenia induced by T3 has been widely reported, little is known about the molecular mechanisms invo/ved in proteolysis induced by T3. In this study we have investigated the effects of T3 and GC-24, a novel synthetic TRI3¬selective compound, on the ubiquitin proteasome pathway. We analyzed the effect of T3 and GC-24 on the radial trophism, ubiquitination leveis and gene expression of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, which are important regulators of muscle proteolysis in the skeletal muscle. We have addressed the ubiquitin ligases (Atrogin¬1, MuRF-1 and E3a) and the deubiquitinating enzymes (UBP45, UBP69 and USP28). Wistar male rats (170-200g) were divided in 4 groups (Control, 12, 1 and 7 days). Rats received T3 (30l-\'g/100g) and GC-24 (16 I-\'g/1 OOg). After decapitation, EDL and soleus muscles were removed for histological ana/ysis, protein expression and gene expression. Cross sectional area was determined in histological sections through the software \"Image-Pro Plus. The ubiquitination leveis was determined by Western Blot and gene expression determined by Real Time PCR analysis. T3 and GC-24 reduced the diameter of the muscle fibers vs control group. Both T3 and GC-24 incresed the ubiquitination leveis, in the soleus and EDL. Regarding gene expression analysis, T3 and GC-24 modulate the gene expression in a differential manner. In the soleus, T3 increased Atrogin-1 and E3 alpha gene expression, while did not alter Murf-1 gene expression. On the other hand, in EDL Atrogin-1 gene expression is not altered, while E3 alpha and Murf-1 are elevated by T3. In the soleus and EDL deubiquitinating gene expression is mostly not altered, exception made for UBP 45, which is reduced by T3 in soleus muscle. GC-24, increased gene expression of E3a and MuRF-1 in the soleus, while did not alter Atrogin-1 gene expression. However, in EDL muscle, GC-24 increased Atrogin-1 and E3a mRNA, while did not alter MuRF-1. Finally, GC-24 decreased UBP 45 gene expression in EDL muscle and USP 28 gene expression was robustly elevated by GC-24 in both muscles analyzed. This data shows that GC-24 is able to strongly modulate genes that are less responsive or even unresponsive to T3, pointing that the GC-24-TRb complex might trans-activate differently target genes. However, both T3 and GC-24 are able to modulate the muscle proteolysis. (AU)