SPARC is up-regulated during skeletal muscle regeneration and inhibits myoblast differentiation

Skeletal muscle repair is mediated primarily by the muscle stem cell, the satellite cell. Several factors, including extracellular matrix, are known to regulate satellite cell function and regeneration. One factor, the matricellular Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) is highly up-regulated during skeletal muscle disease, but its function remains elusive. In the present study, we demonstrate a prominent yet transient increase in SPARC mRNA and protein content during skeletal muscle regeneration that correlates with the expression profile of specific muscle factors like MyoD, Myf5, Myf6, Myogenin, NCAM, CD34, and M-Cadherin, all known to be implicated in satellite cell activation/proliferation following muscle damage. This up regulation was detected in more cell types. Ectopic expression of SPARC in the muscle progenitor cell line C2C12 was performed to mimic the high levels of SPARC seen in muscle disease. SPARC overexpression almost completely abolished myogenic differentiation in these cultures as determined by substantially reduced levels of myogenic factors (Pax7, Myf5, Myod, Mef2α, Myogenin, and Myostatin) and a lack of multinucleated myotubes. These results demonstrate that there is a delicate temporal regulation of SPARC to which more sources in the micro environment contribute, and that disturbances in this, such as extensive up regulation, may have an adverse effect on muscle regeneration.