Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) deficiency accelerates fast fibre type transition in soleus muscle during space flight

Commun Biol. 2021 Jun 24;4(1):787. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02334-4.

Abstract

Microgravity induces skeletal muscle atrophy, particularly in the soleus muscle, which is predominantly composed of slow-twitch myofibre (type I) and is sensitive to disuse. Muscle atrophy is commonly known to be associated with increased production of reactive oxygen species. However, the role of NRF2, a master regulator of antioxidative response, in skeletal muscle plasticity during microgravity-induced atrophy, is not known. To investigate the role of NRF2 in skeletal muscle within a microgravity environment, wild-type and Nrf2-knockout (KO) mice were housed in the International Space Station for 31 days. Gene expression and histological analyses demonstrated that, under microgravity conditions, the transition of type I (oxidative) muscle fibres to type IIa (glycolytic) was accelerated in Nrf2-KO mice without affecting skeletal muscle mass. Therefore, our results suggest that NRF2 affects myofibre type transition during space flight.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Glycolysis
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / pathology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology*
  • Muscular Atrophy / etiology*
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / deficiency
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / physiology*
  • Space Flight*

Substances

  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2
  • Nfe2l2 protein, mouse