Forskolin promotes C2C12 myoblast differentiation via regulating the ERK and Akt signaling pathways

doi:10.12307/2026.024

Abstract

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Forskolin, a diterpenoid natural compound extracted from Coleus forskohlii, has a crucial regulatory role in skeletal muscle repair. However, the regulatory role of forskolin on myogenic differentiation of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells has not been fully explored.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of forskolin on the differentiation of C2C12 myoblast cell line and probe into the underlying molecular mechanisms.
METHODS: C2C12 cells were treated with 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 5, 10 and 20 μmol/L forskolin during growth, and cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 and qRT-PCR. C2C12 cells were treated with 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 μmol/L forskolin during the induction of myogenic differentiation. Immunofluorescence staining and qRT-PCR were used to detect C2C12 cells differentiation. Western blot was used to detect the expression level of myogenic differentiation-related signaling pathway proteins.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The viability of C2C12 cells was decreased and cell proliferation was inhibited after treatment with high concentrations (> 1 μmol/L) of forskolin. (2) The qRT-PCR results showed that forskolin up-regulated the expression of Myh2, Myh4, Myomaker, but down-regulated the expression of Myh7 compared with the 0 μmol/L group, when C2C12 cells were differentiated for 4 days. Immunofluorescence staining results showed that the fusion index and myotube diameter of C2C12 cells were increased after forskolin treatment, and the number of myotubes was also increased. (3) Western blot results showed that the phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 expression was inhibited; however, the phosphorylated protein kinase B was promoted after treatment with forskolin. The protein expression level of the myogenic differentiation transcription factor Myogenin was significantly up-regulated after treatment with forskolin. The above results demonstrate that forskolin may promote myogenic differentiation of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and protein kinase B signaling pathway.

Key words: myogenic differentiation, C2C12 cell, ERK1/2, Akt, skeletal muscle, myogenin, cell proliferation

CLC Number:

Huang Liuyan, Zhang Wenxi, Chen Shuwen, Yu Shimei, Dai Zhong, Zuo Changqing. Forskolin promotes C2C12 myoblast differentiation via regulating the ERK and Akt signaling pathways[J]. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 2026, 30(5): 1114-1121.

Figures/Tables 6

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