Pitx genes are redeployed in adult myogenesis where they can act to promote myogenic differentiation in muscle satellite cells

Skeletal muscle retains a resident stem cell population called satellite cells. Although mitotically quiescent in mature muscle, satellite cells can be activated to produce myoblast progeny to generate myonuclei for skeletal muscle homoeostasis, hypertrophy and repair. Regulation of satellite cell function in adult requires redeployment of many of the regulatory networks fundamental to developmental myogenesis. Involved in such control of muscle stem cell fate in embryos are members of the Pitx gene family of bicoid-class homeodomain proteins. Here, we investigated the expression and function of all three Pitx genes in muscle satellite cells of adult mice. Endogenous Pitx1 was undetectable, whilst Pitx2a, Pitx2b and Pitx2c were at low levels in proliferating satellite cells, but increased during the early stages of myogenic differentiation. By contrast, proliferating satellite cells expressed robust amounts of Pitx3, with levels then decreasing as cells differentiated, although Pitx3 remained expressed in unfused myoblasts. To examine the role of Pitx genes in satellite cell function, retroviral-mediated expression of Pitx1, all Pitx2 isoforms or Pitx3, was used. Constitutive expression of any Pitx isoform suppressed satellite cell proliferation, with the cells undergoing enhanced myogenic differentiation. Conversely, myogenic differentiation into multinucleated myotubes was decreased when Pitx2 or Pitx3 levels were reduced using siRNA. Together, our results show that Pitx genes play a role in regulating satellite cell function during myogenesis in adult.