Implication of altered ubiquitin-proteasome system and ER stress in the muscle atrophy of diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle is adversely affected in type-1 diabetes, and excessively stimulated ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) was found to be a leading cause of muscle wasting or atrophy. The role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in muscle atrophy of type-1 diabetes is not known. Hence, we investigated the role of UPS and ER stress in the muscle atrophy of chronic diabetes rat model.

METHODS: Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin (STZ) in male Sprague-Dawley rats and were sacrificed 2- and 4-months thereafter to collect gastrocnemius muscle. In another experiment, 2-months post-STZ-injection diabetic rats were treated with MG132, a proteasome inhibitor, for the next 2-months and gastrocnemius muscle was collected.

RESULTS: The muscle fiber cross-sectional area was diminished in diabetic rats. The expression of UPS components: E1, MURF1, TRIM72, UCHL1, UCHL5, ubiquitinated proteins, and proteasome activity were elevated in the diabetic rats indicating activated UPS. Altered expression of ER-associated degradation (ERAD) components and increased ER stress markers were detected in 4-months diabetic rats. Proteasome inhibition by MG132 alleviated alterations in the UPS and ER stress in diabetic rat muscle.

CONCLUSION: Increased UPS activity and ER stress were implicated in the muscle atrophy of diabetic rats and proteasome inhibition exhibited beneficiary outcome.