Effects of functional β-glucan on proliferation, differentiation, metabolism and its anti-fibrosis properties in muscle cells

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules Vol. 117; pp. 287 - 293
• Main Authors: Li, Yan, Fan, Yihui, Pan, Haiou, Qian, Haifeng, Qi, Xiguang, Wu, Gangcheng, Zhang, Hui, Xu, Meijuan, Rao, Zhiming, Wang, Li, Ying, Hao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.10.2018
• Subjects: Animals; beta-Glucans - pharmacology; C2C12; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Fibrosis; Male; Mice; Muscle; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - pathology; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Myoblasts - drug effects; Myoblasts - metabolism; Myoblasts - pathology; Phenotype; β-glucan; β-glucan; C2C12; Muscle
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.05.188

Skeletal muscles plays a crucial role in metabolism and exercise. Fuctional β-glucan is polysaccharide that is found in the cell walls of cereal, which is known to reduce cholesterol and lipid, prevent diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In an attempt to identify β-glucan that could promote skeletal muscle function, we analyzed the proliferation, differentiation, metabolism and anti-fibrotic properties of β-glucan in C2C12 muscle cells. Treatment of β-glucan in C2C12 myoblasts led to increased proliferation and differentiation. Besides that, we found that C2C12 myotubes treated with β-glucan displayed a fast-to-slow muscle fiber conversion and improved oxidative metabolism. Further study revealed that β-glucan treatment could prevent myotubes from becoming myofibroblasts. Together, our study suggests that functional β-glucan might have a therapeutic potential to improve skeletal muscle function, which might contribute to the development of β-glucan. •Treatment of β-glucan leads to fast-to-slow muscle fiber conversion in vitro.•β-glucan could promote proliferation and differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts.•β-glucan was able to attenuate the fibrotic process in muscle cells.