TGFβ signaling curbs cell fusion and muscle regeneration

Abstract

Fusion of muscle progenitor cells is necessary for skeletal muscle development and repair. Cell fusion is a multistep process involving cell migration, adhesion, membrane remodeling and actin-nucleation pathways to generate multinucleated myotubes. While the cellular and molecular mechanisms promoting muscle cell fusion have been intensely investigated in recent years, molecular brakes restraining cell-cell fusion events to control syncytia formation have remained elusive. Here, we show that transforming growth factor beta (TGF{beta}) signaling is active in adult muscle cells throughout the fusion process and reduce muscle cell fusion independently of the differentiation step. In contrast, inhibition of TGF{beta} signaling enhances cell fusion and promotes branching between myotubes. Pharmacological modulation of the pathway in vivo perturbs muscle regeneration after injury. Exogenous addition of TGF{beta} protein results in a loss of muscle function while inhibition of the TGF{beta} pathway induces the formation of giant myofibres. Transcriptome analyses and functional assays revealed that TGF{beta} acts on actin dynamics and reduce cell spreading through modulation of actin-based protrusions. Together our results reveal a signaling pathway that limits mammalian myoblast fusion and add a new level of understanding to the molecular regulation of myogenesis.