Role of SIRT2 in regulating the dexamethasone-activated autophagy pathway in skeletal muscle atrophy

The proteolytic autophagy system is involved in a major regulatory pathway in dexamethasone (Dex)-induced muscle atrophy. Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) is known to participate in modulating autophagy signaling, exerting effects in skeletal muscle atrophy. We aimed to determine the effects of SIRT2 on autophagy in Dex-induced myoatrophy. Mice were randomly divided into the normal, Dex, and sirtinol groups. C2C12 cells were differentiated into myotubes and transfected with short hairpin (sh)-Sirt2-green fluorescent protein (GFP) or Sirt2-GFP lentivirus. To evaluate the mass and function of skeletal muscles, we measured the myofiber cross-sectional area, myotube size, gastrocnemius muscle wet weight/body weight ratio (%), and time-to-exhaustion. The SIRT2, myosin heavy chain (MyHC), LC3, and Beclin-1 expression levels were detected by western blotting and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Inhibition of SIRT2 markedly attenuated the muscle mass and endurance capacity. The same phenotype was observed in Sirt2-shRNA-treated myotubes, as evidenced by their decreased size. Conversely, SIRT2 overexpression alleviated Dex-induced myoatrophy in vitro. Moreover, SIRT2 negatively regulated the expression of the LC3b and Beclin-1 in skeletal muscles. These findings suggested that SIRT2 activation protects myotubes against Dex-induced atrophy through the inhibition of the autophagy system; this phenomenon may potentially serve as a target for treating glucocorticoid-induced myopathy.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author