Biology subjects

Markworth, J. F.

Publications and source records attributed to Markworth, J. F..

14 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

The annexin A1 mimetic peptide Ac2-26 promotes inflammation-resolution and stimulates skeletal muscle regeneration in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked disorder mainly affecting young boys characterized by repeated cycles of myofiber injury/regeneration and chronic muscle inflammation. Although glucocorticoids can slow disease progression, their potential long-term adverse effects highlight the need for new steroid-sparing therapies for DMD. Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is a glucocorticoid-induced pro-resolving protein that signals primarily through formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2). We investigated whether the ANXA1 mimetic peptide Ac2-26 could reduce inflammation, stimulate tissue regeneration, and improve skeletal muscle function in muscular dystrophy. 3-week-old dystrophin-deficient male mdx mice were randomized to receive daily intraperitoneal injections of vehicle control, deflazacort (1 mg/kg/day), or Ac2-26 (1 mg/kg/day) for a duration of 5-weeks. Body composition, skeletal muscle mass, contractile function, and tissue histopathology/immune-cell infiltration were assessed at 8-weeks of age. Direct effects on myogenesis were also examined in vitro using primary D2-mdx myoblasts. ANXA1 was expressed predominantly by myeloid cells rather than resident dystrophic muscle cells. Both deflazacort and Ac2-26 markedly reduced intramuscular inflammation and increased myofiber size. However, Ac2-26 produced broader anabolic and functional benefits, increasing body-weight gain, lean body mass, hindlimb muscle weights, and absolute contractile force. Ac2-26 treatment also directly promoted myogenesis of dystrophic myoblasts in vitro, while pharmacological FPR2 blockade impaired myotube development. Overall, Ac2-26 mimicked the anti-inflammatory effects of deflazacort while providing superior benefits for body weight and composition, skeletal muscle growth, myofiber regeneration, and absolute muscle strength. These findings support therapeutic targeting of the ANXA1-FPR2 axis as a potential safe and effective steroid-sparing immunomodulatory strategy for DMD.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Dietary omega-6 arachidonic acid and omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid supplementation differentially impact skeletal muscle inflammaging in mice

Aging is associated with a gradual and progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength known as sarcopenia, which has been attributed to chronic low-grade inflammation. Dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), including omega-6 arachidonic acid (ARA) and omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are precursors to bioactive lipid mediators that regulate the initiation, propagation, and active resolution of inflammation. While traditionally considered a pro-inflammatory and catabolic factor, the ARA-derived eicosanoid prostaglandin E2 has recently emerged as a potential anti-sarcopenic molecule. DHA-derived specialized pro-resolving mediators may also act as immunomodulatory pro-regenerative molecules in muscle inflammaging. In the current study, we tested the effects of long-term dietary supplementation with either ARA or DHA on muscle health in aging mice. Twenty-two-month-old C57BL/6N mice were fed a control AIN-93M diet, or an AIN-93M diet supplemented with either ARA (0.48% w/w) or DHA (0.48% w/w) for 12 weeks. Both dietary interventions reduced total body weight, but only ARA reduced absolute fat mass and increased the percentage of lean mass. Despite these changes in body composition, ARA supplementation reduced absolute muscle strength and myofiber size. This functional decline was associated with increased neuromuscular junction fragmentation, elevated expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines/protein degradation markers, and suppressed ribosome biogenesis. In contrast, DHA uniquely reduced chronic inflammation of aged muscle and returned c-Myc expression to young levels but did not affect muscle mass or strength. These data demonstrate that long-term dietary intake of ARA and DHA have overall divergent effects on the structure and function of aging muscle.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2026

Long-chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Mitigate In Vitro Skeletal Muscle Wasting Induced by Colorectal Carcinoma Cells via a 15-LOX-dependent Pathway

Up to 50% of adults with colorectal cancer (CRC) are at risk of progressive involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass and function known as cachexia. Available options to prevent and treat cachexia in cancer survivors are currently limited. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and their bioactive metabolites, termed specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs), promote the resolution of inflammation and support muscle growth and repair. However, prior studies of cachexia have mainly focused on fish oil supplements, and it is not fully understood how different individual omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) LC-PUFAs mediate CRC-induced muscle wasting. In addition, the crosstalk between cancer cells, the host immune system, and skeletal muscle cells in response to LC-PUFA treatments remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the effects of n-3 and n-6 LC- PUFAs on CRC-induced muscle wasting and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms involved. Using murine C2C12 skeletal muscle cells and CT26 colorectal carcinoma cells, we investigated the impacts of LC- PUFAs including arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) on CT26-induced muscle cell wasting in the presence or absence of lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitors such as NDGA or BLX-3887. We also examined the lipidomic profile of C2C12-CT26 co-cultures in response to individual LC-PUFA treatments. Our results suggest that LC- PUFAs including ARA, EPA, DHA, and DPA each individually protect against CRC-induced muscle cell wasting in vitro, and these protective effects are dependent on 15-LOX activity. Furthermore, we found that C2C12-CT26 co-culture produced mature SPMs in response to individual PUFA treatments. Taken together, this study suggests that individual n-3 and n-6 LC-PUFAs can mitigate CRC-associated cachexia primarily by producing 15-LOX- derived bioactive lipid mediators.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Aspirin hastens resolution of skeletal muscle inflammation and promotes recovery of muscle strength following acute injury

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely recognized to potentially interfere with skeletal muscle regeneration. However, current knowledge is based almost exclusively on non-aspirin NSAIDs. Aspirin (ASA) differs from other NSAIDs in its ability to irreversibly acetylate cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), thereby redirecting its activity toward a lipoxygenase (LOX)-like function that enables the production of unique ASA-triggered specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (AT-SPMs). Despite this, the potential impact of ASA on musculoskeletal tissue repair remains poorly understood. This study directly compared the effect of ASA against non-ASA NSAIDs on in vitro myogenesis and in vivo skeletal muscle injury and regeneration. Unlike non-ASA NSAIDs, including indomethacin (INDO), celecoxib, and SC-236, which markedly impaired C2C12 myotube formation at concentrations near their pharmacological ranges, ASA only interfered with myogenesis at overtly supraphysiological concentrations. In mice, an oral dose of 3 mg/kg/day INDO following barium chloride-induced muscle injury reduced regenerating myofiber cross-sectional area and impaired the recovery of muscle force-generating capacity. In contrast, a potency-matched oral treatment with 30 mg/kg/day ASA hastened the resolution of cellular inflammation, promoted myonuclear accretion, and improved recovery of absolute muscle strength. The beneficial effects of ASA on inflammatory resolution and muscle strength--but notably not myonuclear accretion--were reversed in mice co-treated with ASA + INDO. These findings demonstrate that, unlike non-ASA NSAIDs, ASA does not impair skeletal muscle regeneration and may promote a favorable early inflammatory environment for repair via unique COX-dependent pro-resolving and COX-independent anabolic mechanisms.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2026

C26 and CT26 colorectal cancer models exhibit divergent cachexia phenotypes, intramuscular inflammation, and protein turnover signaling

Colorectal cancer (CRC) cachexia induces skeletal muscle dysfunction, impeding quality of life and worsening cancer prognosis. Multiple preclinical models, including the widely used mouse model of subcutaneous inoculation with the C26 colorectal carcinoma cell line, have been developed to study the biological mechanisms of CRC cachexia and elucidate potential new treatments. It has been proposed that a distinct cell line of the same origin, namely CT26, is relatively non-cachexic. However, studies evaluating the relative potential of C26 and CT26 cells to induce cancer cachexia in parallel have been limited. The differences in the biological mechanisms by which C26 and CT26 impact skeletal muscle mass and function have also not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we investigated the differential capacity of C26 and CT26 to induce cancer cachexia using both an in vitro cancer-muscle cell co-culture and an in vivo syngeneic mouse model. Our results show that both C26 and CT26 cells induced significant atrophy of murine C2C12 skeletal myotubes. In the mouse model, while C26 and CT26 both reduced skeletal muscle mass and fat mass, only C26 tumors led to loss of body weight and impaired skeletal muscle force output. We further show that C26 tumor-bearing mice exhibit greater muscle inflammation than CT26 tumor-bearing mice. In addition, mice bearing C26 and CT26 tumors showed differential regulation of the innate immune responses and muscle protein turnover. Overall, our data suggests that although both C26 and CT26 cells do exhibit cachexic effects, C26 cells induce greater loss in body weight, fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, and physical function via promoting chronic inflammation and deregulating protein balance of skeletal muscle.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Deuterated Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Alleviate In Vitro Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction Induced by Oxidative Stress

Excessive oxidative stress drives lipid peroxidation and contributes to skeletal muscle atrophy in a range of musculoskeletal diseases. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential components of muscle cell membrane phospholipids and are especially susceptible to peroxidation due to the presence of double bonds. Currently, therapeutic options targeting lipid peroxidation to prevent muscle wasting are limited. Substituting the hydrogen atom at the bis-allylic position with deuterium could conceivably limit lipid peroxidation while retaining enzymatic PUFA metabolism. Here we investigated the potential role of deuterated PUFAs (D-PUFAs) in protecting against muscle cell dysfunction under conditions of elevated oxidative stress. Both native (H-) and deuterated (D-) forms of long chain PUFAs including arachidonic acid (ARA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) stimulated in vitro muscle cell growth and development in the absence of oxidative stress. D-ARA, D-EPA, D-DPA, and D-DHA each protected cultured myotubes against the deleterious effects of direct exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS) by limiting lipid peroxidation. In contrast, H-ARA, H-EPA, H-DPA, and H-DHA each increased sensitivity to ROS-induced lipid peroxidation and exacerbated oxidative stress-induced muscle cell dysfunction. Deuterated short chain linoleic acid (D-LA), alpha linolenic acid (D-ALA), as well as D-ARA and D-EPA (but not D-DPA or D-DHA) also protected against the deleterious effects of ferroptosis inducer erastin on myogenic differentiation. Finally, D-PUFAs modulated local expression of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and muscle-specific protein ligases. Overall, our study suggests a promising role of D-PUFAs as novel therapeutics to protect against skeletal muscle dysfunction induced by oxidative stress.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Rapid High-Throughput Analysis of Bovine Skeletal Muscle Fiber Morphology via Automated Fluorescent Microscopy and MuscleBos software

Skeletal muscle tissue is comprised of many individual muscle cells (myofibers) that can be classified as different types based on their morphology, histochemistry, enzymatic reactivity, and biochemical characteristics. One of the most common methods of classification of muscle fiber type relies on the local expression of specific myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms. Adult mammalian muscle fibers are generally categorized into four major types including I, IIA, IIX, and IIB. However, the distribution of these muscle fiber types varies across both different species and muscle groups within species, influencing muscle function and physiological responses. In bovine species, skeletal muscle plays a critical role in determining in-vivo metabolic physiological processes and impacting post-harvest meat quality traits. Immunostaining methods using isoform-specific MyHC antibodies have been widely adopted to characterize muscle fiber morphology. However, manual capture and analysis of immunofluorescent images of muscle fiber type staining is time consuming, labor-intensive, and potentially susceptible to investigator bias. To address these limitations, we established and validated a high-throughput method for the analysis of bovine muscle fiber morphology that combines automated fluorescent microscopy with high-content image analysis using a customized version of the MuscleJ plugin for FIJI/ImageJ that we named MuscleBos. This refined method enables rapid quantitative characterization of muscle fiber type profile and fiber type-specific myofiber cross-sectional area in bovine skeletal muscle tissue cross-sections. This methodology should enable valuable deeper insights into future studies of muscle composition in bovine species and its impact on in vivo animal physiology and meat science.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Leukocyte-type 12/15-lipoxygenase is essential for timely inflammation-resolution and effective tissue regeneration following skeletal muscle injury

Unlike traditional anti-inflammatory therapies which may interfere with musculoskeletal tissue repair, pharmacological administration of specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs) can promote timely resolution of inflammation while stimulating skeletal muscle regeneration. Despite this, the potential role of endogenous inflammation-resolution circuits in skeletal muscle injury and repair remains unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of whole-body knockout of leukocyte-type 12/15-lipoxygenase (12/15-LOX) on acute inflammation and regeneration following skeletal muscle injury in mice. Prior to muscle injury, Alox15-/- mice displayed lower intramuscular concentrations of 12/15-LOX-derived lipid mediators than wild type (WT) mice, and this was associated with chronic low-grade muscle inflammation. Alox15-/- mice mounted an exaggerated acute immune response to sterile skeletal muscle injury which was associated with a local imbalance of pro-inflammatory vs. pro-resolving lipid mediators. During the regenerative phase, Alox15-/- mice displayed defects in myogenic gene expression, myofiber size, and myonuclear accretion. Mechanistically, bone marrow-derived macrophages (M[FE]) obtained from Alox15-/- mice produced less 12/15-LOX-derived lipid mediators and this was associated with impaired M2 polarization. Isolated myogenic progenitor cells also produced many LOX metabolites in response to long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) supplementation, including bioactive SPMs. Alox15-/- myoblasts were both impaired in their ability to produce SPMs and were insensitive to the stimulatory effect of LC-PUFAs on in vitro myogenesis. These data show that the 12/15-LOX pathway is essential for timely resolution of acute inflammation and direct determination of myogenic progenitor cell fate following skeletal muscle injury.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Maresin 1 Repletion Improves Muscle Regeneration After Volumetric Muscle Loss

The acute traumatic or surgical loss of skeletal muscle, known as volumetric muscle loss (VML), is a devastating type of injury that results in exacerbated and persistent inflammation followed by fibrosis. The mechanisms that mediate the magnitude and duration of the inflammatory response and ensuing fibrosis after VML remain understudied and as such, the development of regenerative therapies has been limited. To address this need, we profiled how lipid mediators, which are potent regulators of the immune response after injury, varied with VML injuries that heal or result in fibrosis. We observed that non-healing VML injuries displayed increased pro-inflammatory eicosanoids and a lack of pro-resolving lipid mediators. Treatment of VML with a pro-resolving lipid mediator synthesized from docosahexaenoic acid, called Maresin 1, ameliorated fibrosis through reduction of neutrophils and macrophages and improved myogenesis, leading to enhanced recovery of muscle strength. These results expand our knowledge of the dysregulated immune response that develops after VML and identify a novel immuno-regenerative therapeutic modality in Maresin 1.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Local Shifts in Inflammatory and Resolving Lipid Mediators in Response to Tendon Overuse

Tendon inflammation has been implicated in both adaptive connective tissue remodeling and overuse-induced tendinopathy. Lipid mediators control the initiation and resolution of inflammation, but their roles within tendon are largely unknown. Here we profiled local shifts in intratendinous lipid mediators via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in response to synergist ablation-induced plantaris tendon overuse. Sixty-four individual lipid mediators were detected in homogenates of habitually loaded plantaris tendons from healthy ambulatory rats. This included many bioactive metabolites of the cyclooxygenase (COX), lipoxygenase (LOX), and epoxygenase (CYP) pathways. Synergist ablation induced a robust inflammatory response at day 3 post-surgery characterized by epitenon infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and macrophages (M{Phi}), heightened expression of inflammation-related genes, and increased intratendinous concentrations of the pro-inflammatory eicosanoids thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). By day 7, M{Phi} became the predominant myeloid cell type in tendon and there were further delayed increases in other COX metabolites including PGD2, PGF2 and PGI2. Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) including protectin D1 (PD1) and resolvin D6 (RvD6), as well as related pathway markers of D-resolvins (17-HDoHE), E-resolvins (18-HEPE) and lipoxins (15-HETE) were also increased locally in response to tendon overuse, as were many anti-inflammatory fatty acid epoxides of the CYP pathway (e.g. EpETrEs). Nevertheless, intratendinous prostaglandins remained markedly increased even following 28 days of tendon overuse together with a lingering M{Phi} presence. These data reveal a delayed and prolonged local inflammatory response to tendon overuse characterized by an overwhelming predominance of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids and a relative lack of pro-resolving lipid mediators.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2020

Lipidomic Profiling Reveals an Age-Related Deficiency of Skeletal Muscle Proresolving Mediators that Contributes to Maladaptive Tissue Remodeling

Chronic inflammation and deregulated acute immune cell responses to injury contribute to age-associated skeletal muscle dysfunction. Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) control inflammation and support myofiber regeneration in young mice, but their role in aging muscle remains unknown. Here we examined the effect of age on the mediator lipidome of skeletal muscle via LC-MS based lipidomic profiling and tested whether systemic administration of the SPM resolvin D1 (RvD1) could limit excessive inflammation and improve the regenerative capacity of aged muscle. Aged mice displayed chronic low-grade muscle inflammation prior to injury and this was associated with a basal deficiency of lipoxygenase (LOX) derived SPMs as well as anti-inflammatory cytochrome P450 (CYP) derived lipid epoxides. Following muscle damage, young and aged mice produced similar amounts of pro-inflammatory cyclooxygenase (COX) and 12-LOX metabolites, but aged mice mounted a markedly deficient SPM response. This was associated with heightened leukocyte recruitment, impaired myofiber regeneration, and delayed recovery of strength. Systemic treatment with RvD1 had minimal impact on excessive myeloid cell infiltration and defective myofiber regeneration in aged mice. Nevertheless, RvD1 treatment did suppress inflammatory cytokines, modulated muscle stem cells, limited maladaptive tissue remodeling, and improved recovery of specific muscle force. We conclude that aging results in a marked deficiency of local SPM biosynthesis within muscle and that immunoresolvents may be attractive novel therapeutics for the treatment of muscular injuries and associated pain in the elderly, due to positive effects on recovery of muscle function without the negative side effects on myofiber regeneration of traditional anti-inflammatory treatments.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2020

Immunoresolvents Support Skeletal Myofiber Regeneration via Actions on Myeloid and Muscle Stem Cells

Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) actively limit inflammation and expedite its resolution. Here we profiled intramuscular lipid mediators following injury and investigated the role of SPMs in skeletal muscle inflammation and repair. Both eicosanoids and SPMs increased following myofiber damage induced by intramuscular injection of barium chloride or functional overload. Daily systemic administration of resolvin D1 (RvD1) limited the degree and duration of inflammation, enhanced regenerating myofiber growth, and improved recovery of muscle strength. RvD1 suppressed inflammatory cytokines, enhanced polymorphonuclear cell clearance, modulated muscle stem cells, and polarized macrophages to a more pro-regenerative subset. RvD1 had minimal direct impact on in-vitro myogenesis but directly suppressed myokine production and stimulated macrophage phagocytosis, showing that SPMs influence modulate both infiltrating myeloid and resident muscle cells. These data reveal the efficacy of immunoresolvents as a novel alternative to classical anti-inflammatory interventions in the management of muscle injuries to modulate inflammation while stimulating tissue repair.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2020

Single Cell Deconstruction of Muscle Stem Cell Heterogeneity During Aging Reveals Sensitivity to the Neuromuscular Junction

During aging and neuromuscular diseases, there is a progressive loss of skeletal muscle volume and function in that impacts mobility and quality of life. Muscle loss is often associated with denervation and a loss of resident muscle stem cells (satellite cells or MuSCs), but the relationship between MuSCs and neural control has not been established. Herein, using a combination of single-cell transcriptomic analysis, high-resolution immunofluorescence imaging and transgenic young and aged mice as well as from mice with neuromuscular degeneration (Sod1-/-), a compensatory neuro-responsive function for a subset of MuSCs was identified. Genetic rescue of motor neurons in Sod1-/- mice reduced this subset of MuSCs and restored integrity of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in a manner akin to young muscle. Administration of severe neuromuscular trauma induced young MuSCs to specifically engraft in a position proximal to the NMJ but in aging, this behavior was abolished. Contrasting the expression programs of young and aged MuSCs after muscle injury at the single cell level, we observed distinctive gene expression programs between responses to neuro-muscular degeneration and muscle trauma. Collectively, these data reveal MuSCs sense synaptic perturbations during aging and neuro-muscular deterioration, and can exert support for the NMJ, particularly in young muscle. HighlightsO_LITranscriptional landscapes of single satellite cells from different ages before and after injury as well as neurodegenerative models before and after nervous rescue C_LIO_LIA population of satellite cells reside in close proximity to neuromuscular synapse, which are lost with age C_LIO_LIDenervation promotes satellite cell engraftment into post-synaptic regions of young as opposed to aged muscle C_LI

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2017

Postnatal Tendon Growth and Remodeling Requires Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor Signaling

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) signaling plays an important role in the fundamental biological activities of many cells that compose musculoskeletal tissues. However, little is known about the role of PDGFR signaling during tendon growth and remodeling in adult animals. Using the hindlimb synergist ablation model of tendon growth, our objectives were to determine the role of PDGFR signaling in the adaptation of tendons subjected to a mechanical growth stimulus, as well as to investigate the biological mechanisms behind this response. We demonstrate that both PDGFRs, PDGFR and PDGFR{beta}, are expressed in tendon fibroblasts, and that the inhibition of PDGFR signaling suppresses the normal growth of tendon tissue in response to mechanical growth cues due to defects in fibroblast proliferation and migration. We also identify that membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) as an essential proteinase for the migration of tendon fibroblasts through their extracellular matrix. Furthermore, we report that MT1-MMP translation is regulated by PI3K/Akt signaling, while ERK1/2 controls post-translational trafficking of MT1-MMP to the plasma membrane of tendon fibroblasts. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that PDGFR signaling is necessary for postnatal tendon growth and remodeling, and that MT1-MMP is a critical mediator of tendon fibroblast migration and a potential target for the treatment of tendon injuries and diseases.

physiology↗