Sodium butyrate (NaB) is one of the short-chain fatty acids and is notably produced in large amounts from dietary fiber in the gut. Recent evidence suggests that NaB induces cell proliferation and apoptosis. Skeletal muscle is rich in plenty of mitochondrial. However, it is unclear how NaB acts on host muscle cells and whether it is involved in mitochondria-related functions in myocytes. The present study aimed to investigate the role of NaB treatment on the proliferation, apoptosis, and mitophagy of bovine skeletal muscle satellite cells (BSCs). The results showed that NaB inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis of BSCs, and promoted mitophagy in a time- and dose-dependent manner in BSCs. In addition, 1 mM NaB increased the mitochondrial ROS level, decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), increased the number of autophagic vesicles in mitochondria, and increased the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and ATP level. The effects of the mTOR pathway on BSCs were investigated. The results showed that 1 mM NaB inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of mTOR and genes AKT1, FOXO1, and EIF4EBP1 in the mTOR signaling pathway. In contrast, the addition of PP242, an inhibitor of the mTOR signaling pathway also inhibited mRNA and protein expression levels of mTOR, AKT1, FOXO1, and EIF4EBP1 and promoted mitophagy and apoptosis, which were consistent with the effect of NaB treatment. NaB might promote mitophagy and apoptosis in BSCs by inhibiting the mTOR signaling pathway. Our results would expand the knowledge of sodium butyrate on bovine skeletal muscle cell state and mitochondrial function.

The transcription factor, early growth response 1 (EGR1), has important roles in various cell types in response to different stimuli. EGR1 is thought to be involved in differentiation of bovine skeletal muscle-derived satellite cells (MDSCs); however, the precise effects of EGR1 on differentiation of MDSCs and its mechanism of action remain unknown. In the present study, a time course of EGR1 expression and the effects of EGR1 on MDSC differentiation were determined. The results demonstrated that the expression of EGR1 mRNA and protein increased significantly in differentiating MDSCs relative to that in proliferating cells. Over-expression of the EGR1 gene in MDSCs promoted their differentiation and inhibited proliferation. Conversely, knock-down of EGR1 inhibited differentiation of MDSCs and promoted their proliferation, indicating that EGR1 promotes MDSC differentiation. Moreover, over-expression of EGR1 in MDSCs increased the expression of MyoG mRNA and protein, whereas its knock-down had the opposite effect. Furthermore, ChIP-PCR analyses demonstrated that EGR1 could bind directly to its putative binding site within the promoter region of MyoG, and determination of ERG1 subcellular localization in MDSCs demonstrated that it could relocate to the nucleus, indicating MyoG is likely an EGR1 target gene whose expression is positively regulated by this transcription factor. In conclusion, EGR1 can promote MDSC differentiation through positive regulation of MyoG gene expression.