welcome to DuchenneXchange

- a positively charged Duchenne muscular dystrophy community.
  • join today!
rareCurate
Scientific Articles

EGFR-Aurka Signaling Rescues Polarity and Regeneration Defects in Dystrophin-Deficient Muscle Stem Cells by Increasing Asymmetric Divisions

key information

source: Cell Stem Cell

authors: Wang YX, Feige P, Brun CE, Hekmatnejad B, Dumont NA, Renaud JM, Faulkes S, Guindon DE, Rudnicki MA

summary/abstract:

Loss of dystrophin expression in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) causes progressive degeneration of skeletal muscle, which is exacerbated by reduced self-renewing asymmetric divisions of muscle satellite cells. This, in turn, affects the production of myogenic precursors and impairs regeneration and suggests that increasing such divisions may be beneficial. Here, through a small-molecule screen, we identified epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Aurora kinase A (Aurka) as regulators of asymmetric satellite cell divisions.

Inhibiting EGFR causes a substantial shift from asymmetric to symmetric division modes, whereas EGF treatment increases asymmetric divisions. EGFR activation acts through Aurka to orient mitotic centrosomes, and inhibiting Aurka blocks EGF stimulation-induced asymmetric division. In vivo EGF treatment markedly activates asymmetric divisions of dystrophin-deficient satellite cells in mdx mice, increasing progenitor numbers, enhancing regeneration, and restoring muscle strength. 

Therefore, activating an EGFR-dependent polarity pathway promotes functional rescue of dystrophin-deficient satellite cells and enhances muscle force generation.

organization: Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Canada; University of Ottawa, Canada

DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2019.01.002

read more

other Duchenne content