Altered PPARgamma expression inhibits myogenic differentiation in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily known to regulate adipocyte differentiation. However, its role in skeletal muscle differentiation is not known. To investigate possible involvement of PPARgamma in skeletal muscle differentiation, we modulated its expression in C2C12 mouse skeletal muscle cells by stable transfection with sense or antisense plasmid constructs of PPARgamma cDNA. Phenotypic observations and biochemical analysis of different myogenic markers showed that altered expression of PPARgamma inhibited the formation of myotubes, as well as expression of muscle-specific myogenic proteins including myogenin, MyoD and creatine kinase activity. Together, we show that critical expression of PPARgamma is required for skeletal muscle cells differentiation.