Author Spotlight: Cistrome Analysis in Mouse Muscle Stem Cells

Since more than 20 years, our lab is interested in the pathophysiological role of nuclear receptors. To decipher their in vivo function, we engineered mouse model allowing the spatial and temporal control of their expression. In parallel, we developed cutting-edge techniques to investigate their molecular function in the mouse tissues.

Our scientific interest recently led us to determine secosteroid and steroid receptor signaling in various tissues, including skeletal muscle. We have recently demonstrated that the androgen receptor in myofibers that differentiate cells of the skeletal muscle is instrumental in their contractile and metabolic functions. Our recent findings deliver a deeper understanding of skeletal muscle pathophysiological dynamics that is crucial to develop effective treatments for muscle-associated disorders.

We developed this protocol to be able to perform cistrome analysis on muscle stem cells in vivo. All former protocols used in vitro modals, which completely dissociates the investigation from a whole organism context. In addition to being low-cost and time-efficient, this protocol provides an effective experimental setting to study transcription factor recruitment and chromatin landscape in skeletal muscle progenitor cells.

Chromatin prepared by this protocol has provided the first genome-wide analysis of AR cistrome in satellite cells, and will facilitate future studies on gene regulation. Among many, our future aim would be to extend these investigations onto other oxosteroid receptors and explore their specific co-regulators in the various cell types involved in the regeneration process in skeletal muscle.