During aging there is a decline in (MuSCs) and muscle regeneration, though the underlying reason is unknown. Interestingly, mitochondrial fragmentation is a common feature in aging, however, how this impacts MuSC function and maintenance has not been investigated. To address the effect of mitochondrial fragmentation in MuSCs, we generated a knockout mouse model using the Pax7CreERT2 inducible system to target deletion of the mitochondrial fusion protein Opa1 specifically within MuSCs (Opa1-KO). Analysis of MuSC function following muscle injury revealed a defect in the regenerative potential of Opa1-KO MuSCs. Moreover, following injury there was a substantial decrease in the number of MuSC in Opa1-KO animals with a concomitant increase in the number of committing cells, illustrating that loss of Opa1 drives MuSC towards commitment at the expense of self-renewal. Furthermore, loss of Opa1 in MuSCs alters the quiescence state, priming MuSCs for activation, as indicated by a reduction in quiescence-related genes, increased EdU incorporation, and enhanced cell cycle kinetics. To address the impact of mitochondrial dysfunction on muscle stem cell capacity, we generated a model of chronic Opa1 loss. Analysis of muscle stem cell function 3 months after Opa1 ablation revealed mitochondrial dysfunction and a defect in proliferation upon activation, leading to failed muscle regeneration. These data are the first to demonstrate a novel role for mitochondrial structure in the regulation of MuSC maintenance and regenerative capacity.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/41974 |
| Date | 06 April 2021 |
| Creators | Baker, Nicole |
| Contributors | Khacho, Mireille |
| Publisher | Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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