In vitro cell models capable of mimicking the in vivo microenvironment are essential for elucidating the mechanisms underlying muscle growth and regeneration in teleost. However, the application of existing teleost myogenic cell lines is often limited...
In vitro cell models capable of mimicking the in vivo microenvironment are essential for elucidating the mechanisms underlying muscle growth and regeneration in teleost. However, the application of existing teleost myogenic cell lines is often limited by insufficient characterization of their myogenic properties or undefined responsiveness to pharmacological stimuli. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of tetrandrine, a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid known to induce muscle atrophy and inhibit myogenesis in mammalian models, on the proliferation and differentiation of three black sea bream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii) myogenic cell lines. The non-cytotoxic concentration range of tetrandrine was determined using cell viability and growth rate assays. Myogenic differentiation was assessed by quantifying the fusion index and analyzing the expression of myogenic regulatory factors (Pax7, MyoD, Myog, and MyHC) using quantitative real-time PCR. To explore the mechanisms underlying differentiation inhibition, differentiating cells were treated with the proteasome inhibitor MG-132, the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ), or the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Additionally, the expression profiles of ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy related genes (Fbxo32, Trim63b, Atg6, and Sqstm1) were analyzed, and intracellular ROS levels were measured using the DCFH-DA assay. Results indicated that tetrandrine dose-dependently inhibited myotube formation at non-cytotoxic concentrations up to 5µM. Tetrandrine treatment significantly suppressed the mRNA expression of Pax7, MyoD, Myog, and MyHC. Mechanistic analysis revealed that MG-132 treatment partially restored the tetrandrine-induced suppression of MyHC expression but failed to rescue the fusion index. Notably, the expression of E3 ligases (Fbxo32, Trim63b) and autophagy related genes (Atg6, Sqstm1) were downregulated or suppressed compared to controls, contrasting with findings in mammalian C2C12 cells. Furthermore, although tetrandrine elevated intracellular ROS levels, ROS scavenging by NAC did not alleviate the inhibition of differentiation. These findings suggest that tetrandrine inhibits the expression of key myogenic regulatory genes and myotube formation in black sea bream cells through mechanisms distinct from the E3 ligase and autophagy activation pathways observed in mammalian models.