Project name: Muscle injury causes long-term changes in stem cell DNA methylation [RRBS]

Description: Injury to muscle brings about the activation of stem cells, which then generate new myocytes to replace the damaged tissue. We now demonstrate that this activation causes a dramatic change in the stem cell methylation pattern that prepares them epigenetically for terminal myocyte differentiation. These demethylation and de novo methylation events occur at regulatory elements associated with genes involved in myogenesis. Local injury of one muscle brings about an almost identical epigenetic change in satellite cells from other muscles in the body, as well. Furthermore, this same methylation state is also generated in muscle stem cells of female animals following full-term pregnancy, even in the absence of any injury. In all of these cases, which appear to be mediated by circulating factors, the new methylation profile is then stably maintained in resident muscle stem cells and thus represents a molecular memory of previous physiological events that is probably programmed to provide a mechanism for adapting to the environment.Overall design: Muscle injury was carried out on hind-limb muscles from 8.5-9 month old mice, virgin and pregnant, by piercing multiple times with a 23-gauge needle. Satellite cells were isolated from the injured or contralateral muscles according to specific markers and subjected to methylation studies using the RRBS protocol. At least 4 mice in each group.

Data type: Epigenomics

Sample scope: Multiisolate

Relevance: ModelOrganism

Last updated: 2020-01-17