The regulation of polyamine pathway proteins in models of skeletal muscle hypertrophy and atrophy: a potential role for mTORC1

Polyamines have been shown to be absolutely required for protein synthesis and cell growth. The serine/threonine kinase, the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), also plays a fundamental role in the regulation of protein turnover and cell size, including in skeletal muscle, where mTORC1 is sufficient to increase protein synthesis and muscle fiber size, and is necessary for mechanical overload-induced muscle hypertrophy. Recent evidence suggests that mTORC1 may regulate the polyamine metabolic pathway, however, there is currently no evidence in skeletal muscle. This study examined changes in polyamine pathway proteins during muscle hypertrophy induced by mechanical overload (7 days), with and without the mTORC1 inhibitor, rapamycin, and during muscle atrophy induced by food deprivation (48 h) and denervation (7 days) in mice. Mechanical overload induced an increase in mTORC1 signaling, protein synthesis and muscle mass, and these were associated with rapamycin-sensitive increases in adenosylmethione decarboxylase 1 (Amd1), spermidine synthase (SpdSyn), and c-Myc. Food deprivation decreased mTORC1 signaling, protein synthesis, and muscle mass, accompanied by a decrease in spermidine/spermine acetyltransferase 1 (Sat1). Denervation, resulted increased mTORC1 signaling and protein synthesis, and decreased muscle mass, which was associated with an increase in SpdSyn, spermine synthase (SpmSyn), and c-Myc. Combined, these data show that polyamine pathway enzymes are differentially regulated in models of altered mechanical and metabolic stress, and that Amd1 and SpdSyn are, in part, regulated in a mTORC1-dependent manner. Furthermore, these data suggest that polyamines may play a role in the adaptive response to stressors in skeletal muscle.