IRF4 in skeletal muscle regulates exercise capacity via PTG/glycogen pathway

Exercise-induced fatigue and exhaustion have been an interesting area for many physiologists.Muscle glycogen is critical forphysical performance. However, how glycogen depletion is manipulated during exercise is not very clear. Our aim here is to assess the impact of interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) on skeletal muscle glycogen and subsequent regulation ofexercise capacity. Skeletal muscle-specific IRF4 knockout mice show normal body weight and insulin sensitivity, but better exercise capacity and increased glycogen content with unaltered triglyceride levels compared to control mice on chow diet. In contrast, mice overexpression of IRF4 display decreased exercise capacity and lower glycogen content. Mechanistically, IRF4 regulates glycogen-associated regulatory subunit protein targeting to glycogen (PTG) to manipulate glucose metabolism. Knockdown of PTG can reverse the effects imposed by the absence of IRF4in vivo. Our studies reveal a regulatory pathway including IRF4/PTG/glycogen synthesis that controlling exercise capacity. Overall design: Examination of different gene expression in skeletal muscle of muscle-specific IRF4 knockout mice and control mice.