Skeletal Muscle Phenotypically Converts and Selectively Inhibits Metastatic Cells in Mice

Skeletal muscle is rarely a site of malignant metastasis; the molecular and cellular basis for this rarity is not understood. We report that myogenic cells exert pronounced effects upon co-culture with metastatic melanoma (B16-F10) or carcinoma (LLC1) cells including conversion to the myogenic lineage in vitro and in vivo, as well as inhibition of melanin production in melanoma cells coupled with cytotoxic and cytostatic effects. No effect is seen with non-tumorigenic cells. Tumor suppression assays reveal that the muscle-mediated tumor suppressor effects do not generate resistant clones but function through the down-regulation of the transcription factor MiTF, a master regulator of melanocyte development and a melanoma oncogene. Our findings point to skeletal muscle as a source of therapeutic agents in the treatment of metastatic cancers

Role of Regulatory T Cells in a New Mouse Model of Experimental Autoimmune Myositis

Polymyositis is a rare and severe inflammatory muscle disorder. Treatments are partially efficacious but have many side effects. New therapeutic approaches must be first tested in a relevant animal model. Regulatory CD4+CD25+ T cells (Tregs) have been rediscovered as a pivotal cell population in the control of autoimmunity, but the connection between polymyositis and Tregs is currently unknown. To develop a reproducible experimental autoimmune myositis model of polymyositis, mice were immunized once a week for 3 weeks with 1 mg of partially purified myosin emulsified in complete Freund’s adjuvant. All mice injected with myosin and complete Freund’s adjuvant developed myositis. The infiltrates were composed of CD4+ and CD8+ cells, as well as macrophages, but did not contain B lymphocytes. In mice that were depleted of Tregs, the myositis was more severe, as determined by quantitative scoring of muscle inflammation (2.36 ± 0.9 vs. 1.64 ± 0.8, P = 0.019). In contrast, injection of in vitro expanded polyclonal Tregs at the time of immunization significantly improved the disease (quantitative score of inflammation 0.87 ± 1.06 vs. 2.4 ± 0.67, P = 0.047). Transfer of sensitized or CD4+-sorted cells from the lymph nodes of experimental autoimmune myositis mice induced myositis in naïve, irradiated, recipient mice. Thus, experimental autoimmune myositis is a reproducible, transferable disease in mice, both aggravated by Treg depletion and improved by polyclonal Treg injection