Role of the Cytoskeleton in muscle transcriptional response to altered use

Desmin is a cytoskeletal protein in muscle involved in integrating cellular space and transmitting forces. In this study we sought to determine the combinatory effects of desmin deletion, aging and eccentric exercise on skeletal muscle at the transcriptional level across many pathways of muscle physiology. RNA was isolated from the TA muscle of mice of two genotypes (wildtype (WT) and desmin knockout (KO)) and two ages (7-9 weeks (Adult) and 12-14 months (Aged)). TA muscles were subjected to a bout of 50 eccentric contractions 12 hours prior to RNA isolation. Numbers per group are as follows: WT_Adult (5), WT_Aged (5), KO_Adult (5), KO_Aged (4).

结蛋白（desmin）是肌肉中的细胞骨架蛋白，参与细胞空间整合与机械张力传递。本研究旨在探究结蛋白敲除、衰老与离心运动的联合效应对骨骼肌转录水平的影响，覆盖肌肉生理学的多条通路。实验从小鼠的两种基因型（野生型（wildtype，WT）与结蛋白敲除型（desmin knockout，KO））、两个年龄层（7~9周龄的成年组（Adult）与12~14月龄的老年组（Aged））的胫骨前肌（TA muscle）中提取RNA。所有胫骨前肌样本在RNA提取前12小时，均接受了一次含50次离心收缩的运动负荷。各组样本量如下：WT_Adult组5例，WT_Aged组5例，KO_Adult组5例，KO_Aged组4例。