James G. Tidball

Muscle growth is influenced by changes in the mechanical environment that affect the expression of genes that regulate myogenesis. We tested whether the hormone Klotho could influence the response of muscle to mechanical loading. Applying mechanical loads to myoblasts in vitro increased RNA encoding transcription factors that are expressed in activated myoblasts ( Myod ) and in myogenic cells that have initiated terminal differentiation ( Myog ). However, application of Klotho to myoblasts prevented the loading‐induced activation of Myog without affecting loading‐induced activation of Myod . This indicates that elevated Klotho inhibits mechanically‐induced differentiation of myogenic cells. Elevated Klotho also reduced the transcription of genes encoding proteins involved in the canonical Wnt pathway or their target genes ( Wnt9a , Wnt10a , Ccnd1 ). Because the canonical Wnt pathway promotes differentiation of myogenic cells, these findings indicate that Klotho inhibits the differentiation of myogenic cells experiencing mechanical loading. We then tested whether these effects of Klotho occurred in muscles of mice experiencing high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) by comparing wild‐type mice and klotho transgenic mice. The expression of a klotho transgene combined with HIIT synergized to tremendously elevate numbers of Pax7 + satellite cells and activated MyoD + cells. However, transgene expression prevented the increase in myogenin + cells caused by HIIT in wild‐type mice. Furthermore, transgene expression diminished the HIIT‐induced activation of the canonical Wnt pathway in Pax7 + satellite cells. Collectively, these findings show that Klotho inhibits loading‐ or exercise‐induced activation of muscle differentiation and indicate a new mechanism through which the responses of muscle to the mechanical environment are regulated.